FA Unveils Centre of Excellence -Tuesday Oct 9,2012

Football Association Chairman David Bernstein has described the opening of its new centre of excellence as
an "historic" day for the English game.

The £105m St George's Park complex in Staffordshire will house all 24 England teams, from junior to senior levels.Aimed at raising standards of play at all levels, it will provide a centre of excellence for training coaches and for sports medicine, sports science and psychology

The 330-acre St George's Park officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Tuesday Oct 9,2012.

 

Facilities at St George's Park are -

• A senior training pitch, laid out to the exact dimensions of the playing surface at Wembley Stadium and with exactly the same mix of grass and artificial fibres.

• 11 outdoor pitches, five of which are floodlit and have under-soil heating.

• A full-size indoor 3G artificial pitch with a viewing gallery for up to 200 people.

•   An altitude chamber to mimic a variety of playing conditions.

•   An indoor 60m sprint track with equipment to measure speed and running style.

• Walls adorned with sporting slogans, such as American Olympian Jesse Owens: "A lifetime of training for just 10 seconds."

• A new Hilton hotel featuring suites named after former England players and managers.

 FA Chairman David Bernstein in front of the Centre of Excellence

England captain Steven Gerrard  with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

England Football Team Manager Roy Hodgson alongwith the England Team poses with the the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge