In Focus/ Coprisystems: The Great Indoors
Our changeable weather dominates conversation across the UK. In fact, we spend six months of our lives discussing it. When it comes to sport, the weather has no less significance.
At an elite level….What will the ground be like at Aintree? Will the roof on Centre Court at Wimbledon be open? Will there be a full day of play at Lords? How strong will the winds be at the Old Course, St Andrews?
At grassroots level, the weather has an even more serious impact. The more games that are called off due to extreme conditions, which is happening with increased frequency, the more likely it is that players will lose interest in participating in the sport. The FA estimates that 120,000 games are lost every season thanks to adverse conditions – the equivalent of 7 million minutes of community football, and last year, the number of young people who said that the weather stopped them from doing any physical activity rose by 40%.
Even if the matches or training sessions go ahead, motivation drops off and the excuses come thick and fast as really cold or really hot temperatures, frozen pitches, flooded surfaces and high winds are enough to put people off. As a result, clubs suffer the headache of having to deal with frequent cancellations and no shows, which poses a risk to their finances, player retention and the enthusiasm of their coaches.
If people are going to play regularly and develop their skills, consistency is important. Likewise, if we are going to be able to nurture home-grown talent, we need spaces that have no barriers to participation.
Outdoor sport is fantastic, but when that is no longer an option, it provokes lots of conversations around the provision of indoor facilities. An indoor climate-controlled environment gives more people more opportunities to get involved and maintain an active lifestyle.
We’re seeing them pop up at Premier League football clubs for their academy squads and first team players to use throughout the year, but within local communities, the provision of indoor sport can have a positive impact on social cohesion, as well as physical wellbeing.
CopriSystems have installed a state-of-the-art football training centre at the site of the former County Ground Bowls Club for Swindon Town FC Community Foundation. Housing two artificial 5-a-side football pitches with spectator viewing area, this venue is quickly becoming an accessible hub and comfortable environment for all ages and abilities to play sport, as well as a safe space for more vulnerable groups to engage in society. Its purpose has gone beyond the provision of football to the provision of an inclusive community.
Obviously, installing a venue such as this requires significant investment, but what is encouraging is hearing about the different sporting bodies that are starting to join forces and therefore funding so they can develop training centres that are accessible to multiple sports clubs throughout the year.
CopriSystems have recently finished a mammoth project in Swansea, which received investment from both the Welsh RFU and the Welsh FA so it could be used for both rugby and football. Considering these are both traditional autumn/winter outdoor sports, this is a really promising step forward in helping them grow at grassroots level when the weather stops play outside.
Indoor sports venues can remove the limitations imposed by the changeable, unpredictable Great British weather. Yes, they require an initial financial outlay but the long-term revenue potential and the benefits to overall public health and wellbeing are much greater if you can guarantee that training will go ahead and the match is on.
