Some of Coventry City Football Club’s most successful academy graduates have returned to the facility where they began their careers to see its state-of-the-art renovation.
England Under 21 international and Leicester City player James Maddison was joined by his former Sky Blues teammates Jordan Willis, Tom Bayliss and Jordan Shipley to mark the official opening of the new 2,400 square metre indoor pitch, which sits adjacent to the site of the old indoor pitch that will be home to a new 50 metre Olympic swimming pool.
The quartet took part in a ribbon cutting as Coventry City’s academy took on Aston Villa’s academy in a series of friendly matches.
The new indoor 3G astro turf pitch – which is operated by CV Life - opened to the public for the first time late last year after Rubb Buildings Ltd designed, manufactured and constructed the building.
The space is big enough to host an 11-a-side football match, or accommodate four five-a-side games.
Coventry City’s academy will have evening access to the indoor facility during the week, with the general public able to book the space for a range of sports at other times.
Martin Neale, centre manager at the Alan Higgs Centre, said: “This is another significant piece in our jigsaw to what is set to become a state-of-the-art destination for health and fitness in Coventry.
“The indoor pitch has already attracted huge interest. Alongside football we regularly have the Great Britain soft ball team training and holding competitions here, tag rugby sessions, American football, and a lot of local schools also utilise the facilities for their sports clubs.
“When you piece this facility together with the Olympic swimming pool and new 632 square foot fitness suite, we have an elite sporting village on our doorstep which will hopefully go on to inspire people of all ages and abilities to lead healthier lives and take up a sport.”
The Alan Higgs Centre’s outdoor astro turf pitch has also been re-laid by Rubb Buildings Ltd, as part of the renovation
Ian Hindmoor, Managing Director at Rubb Buildings Ltd, commented: “Here at Rubb, we are all very proud to be a part of this state-of-the-art renovation. Working closing with the team at the Alan Higgs Centre, we were able to provide a custom designed facility to accommodate the Coventry City Football Academy, other sporting clubs and the local community to train undercover all year round.”
For more information about the new indoor pitch at the Alan Higgs Centre visit www.cvlife.co.uk.