A MAJOR boost to grassroots sport at a Barnsley facility has received the backing of former sprinting star Dorothy Hyman.
Her eponymous stadium, on Snydale Road, Cudworth, revealed its £350,000 3G pitch last Friday which saw the 76-year-old, who was born in the village, officially open the facility alongside Barnsley Council leader and local councillor, Sir Steve Houghton.
Children from local football clubs played five-a-side matches on the Football Association-approved 106m by 70m pitch, which also has improved floodlights and a 4.5m perimeter fence.
Dorothy, who won silver and two bronze medals at two Olympics - in Rome, 1960, and Tokyo, 1964 - is a former European champion in the 100m and won three Commonwealth golds during a stellar career.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of her first gold Commonwealth medal, which she won alongside three other British athletes in the 110-yard relay on July 26, 1958, in Cardiff.
She said: “I’m so pleased as even after all these years, the facility is not only still open but it’s evolved into a wonderful place for people of all ages to enjoy sport.
“It’s the best legacy I could ever have hoped to have had. When you’re older, and you see just how many youngsters are enjoying the stadium, it somehow matters more.
“To have it open in what is a special year just adds to it.”
Coun Sir Steve praised the facility, which is run by Barnsley Premier Leisure, for providing a place for future generations to take advantage of.
“It really is a fantastic facility - not just for Cudworth but the rest of Barnsley, too,” he said. “It presses all the right buttons and is positive across the board as it gets people outdoors, it boosts their health and gets them involved in sport.
“There’s an ambitious target of increasing the facility’s usage by 23 per cent in a five-year period and although that’s a big target to set, there’s no reason why it can’t be achieved.”
Although the pitch is suitable for 11-a-side football matches, it is anticipated the centre will divide the playing area to accommodate smaller training sessions and attract nine, seven and five-a-side teams as was shown on its open day.
Usage is expected to dramatically increase, with a projected 35 teams expected to call the venue their home before 2020.
Facility manager Martin Prest said: “The opening of the pitch and just how many people were there is indicative of the support it’s had throughout the project.
“A lot of people have been involved and everyone has enjoyed the project, especially so now that it’s open and it shows what a wonderful facility we have.
“Ultimately it cements the relationship between us and the community.
“Many local teams are finding it difficult to expand because they don’t have the facilities to train and it can be expensive to travel outside the area, which is hindering their growth.
“This new pitch will allow them to go from strength to strength.”
