Backstory of the Cromwell hockey turf
OVER 20 years ago, teams playing hockey in Central Otago played on grass turf, got changed in carparks, and had access to fairly basic toilet facilities.
Efforts to raise funds for a new hockey turf in Cromwell, to serve the Central Otago region, began in 1995. Today, hockey players from around the region can travel over 100 kilometres each way on a weekly basis to use Cromwell’s facilities.
Events like the Bannockburn Mountain Bike Race and the Cromwell Rotary Club’s 4WD Tour of Pisa were founded to assist with the fundraising.
The chair of the Central Otago Sports Turf Trust, Michael Paardekooper, and Radio Central host Tim Cadogan (now mayor of the Central Otago District Council) hosted a 12hour radiothon as part the fundraising efforts.
The first upgrade occurred in 1996, and introduced a sand turf and new lighting. To accommodate the new development, the rugby field had to be relocated, and as part of the deal new lighting was installed for the rugby. The new lighting system was second only to the standard of lighting since used at Forsyth Barr Stadium, so rugby was also ‘‘the winner on the day’’.
The second upgrade, this time to a water turf, happened two years ago. The new surface is the same as the surface that was installed in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics. In fact, the installation team from Rio came to Cromwell to do the installation.
During the second upgrade, the purposebuilt pavilion was also added.
These were both massive communitywide fundraising efforts. There are plaques acknowledging both the 1996 and 2016 donors at the field. Michael Paardekooper noted that it was the same local supporters on each occasion.
THE AMBITION TO HOST AN INTERNATIONAL SERIES
It was while Michael was involved in fundraising for the water turf that he observed that because it was the same as the turf that was being used in Rio de Janeiro, Cromwell would be capable of hosting international hockey tournaments.
Discussions began with Hockey New Zealand over two years ago, and while they had offered to bring some games to Cromwell, the timing wasn’t right for Central Otago. But earlier this year, Hockey New Zealand inquired about the possibility of hosting a series in Central Otago in May.
It is the perfect time of year in Central — the weather is normally quite settled and not yet into the depths of winter. It is also shoulder season in the visitor industry, so the availability of accommodation is better than at peak times.
The most recent discussions with Hockey New Zealand involved bringing a series to Cromwell that sat between the Commonwealth Games and the Women’s Hockey World Cup in London. While everybody was hoping for a gold medal win for New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games, the outcome was far from certain.
‘‘We watched the playoff with much anticipation and excitement,’’ says Michael ‘‘And when we saw the final result, we pinched ourselves about what was about to descend on Cromwell.’’
GETTING READY FOR THE SERIES
Hockey New Zealand has made two visits to the region as part of Central Otago’s bid — one to confirm the suitability of the facilities, and another to assist with preplanning for the event.
In addition to providing great publicity for the region, the legacy value of hosting the series comes from training and coaching programmes.
Hockey New Zealand, the Central Otago Sports Turf Trust (COSTT), and the Central Otago Hockey Association (COHA) are working together on the event.
COSTT is running the venue setup for the series, and COHA is working alongside Hockey New Zealand on ‘‘coaching for coaches’’ sessions along with training for officials. Ball boy and girl training is already under way (and the rules are not that simple).
Team dietitians have been checking out local menus, and accommodation, including almost every available Airbnb room, has been booked.
SHARING THE SPIRIT
Central Otago holds a strong passion for hockey, with over 900 registered players who regularly travel from Queenstown, Wanaka, and the wider Central Otago district to Cromwell to play.
During the tournament, school visits have been arranged, and the Vantage Black Sticks will be displaying their Commonwealth Games medals during those visits.
It is expected that some of the team’s friends and family will join them, and a number of older national representative hockey players are planning reunions.
The organisers will also be making a generous supply of tickets available (at no charge) to schools and community groups.
CROMWELL — THE LITTLE TOWN
THAT COULD
It has been a long journey to get to this point, and given the history of the COSTT’s fundraising efforts, it’s no surprise to hear that as part of getting the tournament off the ground they have managed to get 50 Central Otago businesses to commit $1000 each to support hosting the series.
When asked what his longterm vision for all of this is, Michael responds, ‘‘This was the longterm vision!’’ He concedes that maybe they could entertain doing something like this again in three to five years.
What he would like people to understand is that a small town like Cromwell can offer sports facilities that are as good or better than those you’d find in any major centre.
— Supplied by Tourism Central Otago and
Hockey New Zealand