The Sports & Play Industry Association (SAPIA) is the peak industry body for sports, playspace and recreation construction in Australasia. Our members include specialists in design and engineering, construction and surfacing, maintenance, manufacture and supply of equipment and products, as well as testing of sports and play facilities.

SAPIA is a not-for-profit association, established to promote the best construction standards and business practices for the benefit of both members and their customers, as well as to contribute to the safe sporting pleasure of participants who use facilities constructed and/or serviced by members of the Association.

The Sport Surfaces Research Group at Loughborough University sits within the Sports Technology Institute, set up in 2002. In addition, we established the ‘Sportsurf’ network to raise awareness and collaboration between industry and academia.
The research group’s research portfolio is broad across 4 key themes: User Safety; Play Performance; Pitch Infrastructure, and Maintenance. We aim to enhance and unify research across the sector. Our work has primarily been in artificial turf surfaces, but more recently includes natural and hybrid turf systems. In our approach we consider the interface between the surface behaviour and the athlete interaction is crucial and complex, in particular for performance and injury risk. We are constantly working towards developing and deepening our knowledge for describing and relating the components of sport surfaces to the many influencing factors in response to player (and mechanical test) loading – throughout their service life.

As the national agency for sport our role is to make sure sport plays its part in a thriving Scotland. We do this by influencing, informing and investing in the organisations and people who deliver sport and physical activity.

We have an important part to play alongside other agencies to deliver an active Scotland where more people are more active more often. An active Scotland is one where people are encouraged to participate, progress and achieve in sport. At the same time people become more active – and stay active.

The nation enjoys better physical confidence and competence and increased wellbeing and resilience. All of this is made possible by the people, places and spaces providing sport and physical activity.

As a technical team we provide advice and guidance on the design and construction of sports facilities and manage funding programmes to support facility development.

England Hockey is responsible for the management and development of the sport from grassroots to elite activities.

England Hockey is also the nominated country for Great Britain Hockey and is responsible for assessing and preparing Great Britain (GB) squads to qualify for and participate in the Olympics.