In December 2018, the students of Skinners’ Academy in North Hackney had an unforgettable experience when they were surprised by a visit from four of Arsenal FC’s first team players. Hector Bellerin, Laurent Koscielny, Lucas Torreira and Danielle Carter arrived to see for themselves the result of a new sports pitch construction project, funded by The Arsenal Foundation and implemented by ETC Sports Surfaces.
The Arsenal Foundation has funded the installation of a brand new 3G football pitch for Skinners’ Academy, a school with a strong ethos of encouraging students to “be the best you can be” and values modelled on the legacy of London 2012 and the Paralympics. The Academy enjoys an ongoing relationship with Arsenal FC as part of the club’s community involvement – so students were naturally thrilled to welcome their footballing idols, who gave out Christmas presents and joined the youngsters for a kickabout before taking to Twitter to share their excitement about the event.
Charged with delivering a 3G pitch to exacting standards and a tight time frame, ETC Sports Surfaces selected a Conqueror 60 MF pitch, manufactured by Playrite, which features a tufted fine fibrillated surface underlaid with sand and rubber infill. The pitch was finished with football goals and a pitch divider system accommodating both 7-a-side and 5-a-side football to maximise the use of space. The result is a modern, professional standard 3G pitch that guarantees safe, all-weather play for students, staff and visitors.
Clearly inspired by their visit, the Arsenal players tweeted to highlight the importance of the new facility in providing a safe space where youngsters can be themselves. Meanwhile, Mark Burcham, Facilities Manager for Skinners’ Academy, confirmed that everyone is thrilled with the result, saying: “I can honestly say that ETC Sports Surfaces delivered all that was asked of them and all that was proposed by them. We now have a stunning 3G pitch that students, staff and external users relish using.”
It seems fitting that a school so engaged with the power of sports should benefit from this donation, which gives all students the chance to experience the joy of playing football on a state-of-the-art 3G pitch.
For more information on ETC Sports Surfaces, please click [here]