Sport has put down strong roots in Sheffield

I own up to attending some events at the World Student Games in Sheffield in 1991 and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Games came up in conversation recently with Sheffield City Council just paying off the loans and debt that paid for them.

There are those that felt it was all a waste of money but it did put Sheffield on the sporting map at a time when the city was trying to find a new pathway following the post industrial strategy that had caused so much depression.

It was already known for housing the World Snooler Championship since 1977, which will see out its 50th anniversary in 2027 and hopefully more years after that as well as two high ranking football teams, a long standing boxing tradition and many more.

The 1991 Summer Universiade saw the opening of the Don Valley Stadium, the Sheffield Arena, Ponds Forge Olympic standard swimming pool and other regional sports centres. The City have announced that they are to borrow money again to upgrade and rebuild some of those regional centres.

The Don Valley stadium that was used for the opening and closing events and the athletics was demolished in 2013 as part of a budgetary cut back. It had hosted athletics, was the home of Sheffield FC and Rotherham United for a while, concerts including Michael Jackson, indoor sports training to mention a few of its uses.

Out of the ashes of the stadium and other attached land and venues has grown a world class sports and cultural campus. Some of the inspiration has come from the legacy of the 2012 Olympic funding driven by local people and organisations.

Don Valley Sports, Research and Entertainment Complex.

Sheffield Arena opened 1991 hosts all types of entertainment and shows.

Don Valley Bowl for outdoor films, music concerts, fairground and many more.

English Institute of sport opened 2006 is the largest single provider for sports science, technology and engineering to everyone up to Olympians and prospective Olympians.

University Technical Colleges opened in 2016 is the campus for computing, health sciences and social care it works with local Universities, Colleges and employers to give education up to A level standard for students to progress.

Ice Sheffield opened 2003 houses an ice rink for all abilities as well as home to elite Ice hockey teams. There are two Olympic sized ice pads to enable the training of top competitors and can home competitions.

Sheffield Hallam University Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre campus opened in 2020 that researches how physical activity can improve physical, mental and emotional wellbeing in society.

The Park Community Arena, nearly completed, will house a 2000 seat arena for Basketball for Sheffield Sharks (Men’s) and Sheffield Hatters (Women’s) both playing at Britains highest level. Sheffield netball teams will also be able to play competitive games here a sport that is growing its profile. Part of the building will also house a state- of-the-art medical diagnosis centre for elite sports people and NHS patients.

Added to all of this development has been the recent opening of the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park which is now the home to Sheffield Eagles who are a second tier English Rugby League team. This permanent home will transform their chances of gaining Premier status in the future. The all weather pitch/facility is not just for Rugby League, all outside sports can hire all or part of the facility for training or competitive games.

It was this stadium I went to see as it is also the new home of Sheffield City FC who were advertising a walking football event.

Both were new to me, the stadium and its other pitches are first class and a great credit and addition to the sporting venues in the City.

This was the first time I had seen walking football which was invented in nearby Chesterfield and has now spread throughout the world. The competition I saw was for over 60″s, 6 teams entering the competition for £50 each for which they gained pitch hire, referees and a trophy to be presented to the winners. The enthusiasm was infectious but the crowd was only 2, me and the wife of a player.

It’s certainly a great game and a way of people who are no longer as athletic as they once were to keep playing competitive sport. I was surprised that the opening goal was scored at more like a trot. A player recieved the ball in midfield ghosted past a defender and drilled the ball along the ground to the left of the bending keeper and into the corner of the net. In my mind I queeried the pace he passed the defender but it is very difficult to judge the difference between walking and slow running.

It was great to see the players thoroughly engaged and enjoying themselves. Being lunch time and no food available I walled up to the nearby tram stop (still called Don Valley Stadium) and went two stops for IKEA meatballs and chips. The tram stop is near the canal and near where the scene in The Full Monty where they try to steal some steel. Times have changed with Sheffield investing heavily in sport and leisure for the good of all and it deserves to keep on getting a world class response.