National Sports Centre (Isle of Man)
Encyclopedia
The National Sports Centre (also known as NSC) in Douglas
Isle of Man
is a large multi-sports centre and athletics stadium. The NSC is owned by the Department of Tourism and Leisure
of the Isle of Man Government
and operated by the Manx Sport & Recreation.
was held on the Isle of Man with the NSC being used for some of the sports and the closing ceremony.
In August 2007 the NSC won the runner-up award in the European City of Sport competition after a visit of assessors from the European Capitals of Sport Association.
The centre hosts the annual Manx Youth Games. The opening ceremony
is held in the athletics stadium and there are twelve different sports staged throughout the venues in the centre with teams from all over the island. The centre also hosts the annual Manx Gateway Games, with the ninth games being held in July 2008.
In 2009 the Isle of Man Institute of Sport will move into a new purpose-built facility at the athletics stadium in the NSC.
The NSC is one of the venues for the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games
which is to be staged on the Isle of Man. The athletics stadium will stage the opening ceremony on 8 September 2011 as well as all the athletics events. The Swimming pool will stage the swimming
events and the main Sports Hall will stage badminton
with seating for 1,000 spectators.
In March 2008 the NSC was announced as one of 73 venues earmarked as possible training venues in North West England
for the 2012 Summer Olympics
, with the NSC listed for Road cycling
, Mountain biking
, Handball
and Shooting
.
The outdoor facilities are -
The track has a current United Kingdom (UK) Athletics Certificate and there is an 11 metre hammer
/discus
cage.
. The pitch was renewed by AstroTurf
in 2002 with a water based playing surface. The pitch is used for various sports including Sunday league football
and hockey
.
Criterium racing
, Racewalking and Road running
.
pool with two floating floors and a retractable boom to divide the pool lengthways. The leisure pool has flume rides and a flow pool with a separate shallow pool a children's beach area and a spa pool.
and a PA system
and a four-court secondary sports hall. The main hall can be divided into ten badminton
courts. The secondary sports hall can be divided into four badminton courts with facilities for cricket
and archery
practice.
and spa suite has a range of cardiovascular
fitness
and resistance
equipment. The health suite has sauna
cabins, steam room
and a whirlpool spa
.
Hall has five rinks and a master scoreboard, electronic digital lane scoreboards and a spectator/refreshment area. Portable tiered seating units can be installed to house 100 spectators for special events. The centre is home to the Isle of Man National Sports Centre Indoor Bowls Association.
Centre has six squash courts. Four of the courts have glass backs, three of which are portable and can be moved to create two show courts. These can then accommodate fifty spectators for each court in portable tiered seating units.
and café
in the main atrium
between the pools and dry sports facilities with views of the athletic stadium.
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
is a large multi-sports centre and athletics stadium. The NSC is owned by the Department of Tourism and Leisure
Department of Tourism and Leisure
The Department of Tourism and Leisure was a department of the Isle of Man Government.-History:The Department was created in 1986 as the Department of Tourism and Transport....
of the Isle of Man Government
Isle of Man Government
The Isle of Man Government is the government of the Isle of Man. The formal head of the Isle of Man Government is the Lieutenant Governor, representing HM Queen Elizabeth II, Lord of Mann...
and operated by the Manx Sport & Recreation.
History
The NSC is built on the site of the former Belle Vue and King George V Park with phase one being opened in 1991. The centre is Quest Accredited (the UK Quality Scheme for Sport and Leisure) and has maintained its highly commended status since it was first awarded in December 2001. The 2001 Island GamesInternational Island Games Association
The International Island Games Association is an organisation the sole purpose of which is to organise the Island Games, a friendly biennial athletic competition between teams from several European islands and other small territories. The IGA liaises with the member island associations and with...
was held on the Isle of Man with the NSC being used for some of the sports and the closing ceremony.
In August 2007 the NSC won the runner-up award in the European City of Sport competition after a visit of assessors from the European Capitals of Sport Association.
The centre hosts the annual Manx Youth Games. The opening ceremony
Opening ceremony
An opening ceremony is the official opening of a building or event. The opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are huge events involving thousands of participants and watched by a massive worldwide audience. On a much smaller scale, some ceremonies mark the opening of a...
is held in the athletics stadium and there are twelve different sports staged throughout the venues in the centre with teams from all over the island. The centre also hosts the annual Manx Gateway Games, with the ninth games being held in July 2008.
In 2009 the Isle of Man Institute of Sport will move into a new purpose-built facility at the athletics stadium in the NSC.
The NSC is one of the venues for the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games
2011 Commonwealth Youth Games
The 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games, officially known as the IV Commonwealth Youth Games is a multi-sport event which took place in the British Crown Dependency of Isle of Man from 7 to 13 September 2011. As per the original quadrennial cycle, the Games were scheduled for 2012...
which is to be staged on the Isle of Man. The athletics stadium will stage the opening ceremony on 8 September 2011 as well as all the athletics events. The Swimming pool will stage the swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
events and the main Sports Hall will stage badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
with seating for 1,000 spectators.
In March 2008 the NSC was announced as one of 73 venues earmarked as possible training venues in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
for the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, with the NSC listed for Road cycling
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
, Mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, Handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
and Shooting
Shooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
.
Outdoor facilities
The three outdoor facilities have six group/team changing rooms and two en-suite changing rooms for match officials. For individual competitors there are separate male and female changing areas equipped with lockers, toilets and showers.The outdoor facilities are -
Athletics stadium
The athletics stadium has a 400 metre, six lane (eight lane straight) fully floodlit synthetic running track with a 500 seat grandstand.The track has a current United Kingdom (UK) Athletics Certificate and there is an 11 metre hammer
Hammer throw
The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
/discus
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
cage.
Synthetic pitch
Alongside the athletics stadium is a full size (7,000 sq. metres) floodlit all-weather synthetic pitchArtificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
. The pitch was renewed by AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
in 2002 with a water based playing surface. The pitch is used for various sports including Sunday league football
Sunday league football
Sunday league football is a term used in the United Kingdom to describe those association football leagues which play on Sunday, as opposed to the more usual Saturday. These leagues tend to be lower standard amateur competitions, whose players may have less ability, or less time to devote to...
and hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
.
Raceway
The other outdoor facility is an 800 metres fully lit tarmac raceway, which forms the perimeter of the outdoor provision and has a competition and training facility for CyclingRoad bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
Criterium racing
Criterium
A criterium, or crit, is a bike race held on a short course , often run on closed-off city center streets....
, Racewalking and Road running
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
.
Swimming pool and leisure pool
The competition pool is a 25 metre state-of-the-art Short courseShort course
In Swimming, the term Short Course is used to identify a pool that is 25 metres in length. The term is also often included in meet names when conducted in a short course pool...
pool with two floating floors and a retractable boom to divide the pool lengthways. The leisure pool has flume rides and a flow pool with a separate shallow pool a children's beach area and a spa pool.
Sports halls
The NSC has a full-size sports hall with an electronic scoreboardScoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
and a PA system
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
and a four-court secondary sports hall. The main hall can be divided into ten badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
courts. The secondary sports hall can be divided into four badminton courts with facilities for cricket
Indoor cricket
Indoor cricket is a variant of and shares many basic concepts with cricket. The game is most often played between two teams each consisting of eight players, in matches featuring two innings of sixteen 7-ball overs each...
and archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
practice.
Fitness Zone gym and spa suite
The Fitness Zone gymGym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
and spa suite has a range of cardiovascular
Circulatory system
The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, etc...
fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
and resistance
Resistance training
Resistance training has two different meanings. A broader meaning that refers to any training that uses a resistance to the force of muscular contraction , and elastic or hydraulic resistance, which refers to a specific type of strength training that uses elastic or hydraulic tension to provide...
equipment. The health suite has sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
cabins, steam room
Steam room
A steam room is an enclosed space with large amounts of high temperature steam, creating a high humidity environment. People sit in this room in a similar way to a sauna , for relaxation and purported benefits to health and well being. They can be commonly found in gyms, sanitariums and health...
and a whirlpool spa
Hot tub
A hot tub is a large tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy....
.
Bowls Hall
The BowlsBowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
Hall has five rinks and a master scoreboard, electronic digital lane scoreboards and a spectator/refreshment area. Portable tiered seating units can be installed to house 100 spectators for special events. The centre is home to the Isle of Man National Sports Centre Indoor Bowls Association.
Squash Centre
The SquashSquash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
Centre has six squash courts. Four of the courts have glass backs, three of which are portable and can be moved to create two show courts. These can then accommodate fifty spectators for each court in portable tiered seating units.
Bar and cafe
The NSC has a barBar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
and café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
in the main atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
between the pools and dry sports facilities with views of the athletic stadium.