Ten years ago, Ben Harvey formulated a vision to transcend Jersey’s existing sporting landscape.
The Jersey RFC head coach wanted to build a state-of-the-art stadium, with accompanying training facilities, that would attract the country’s best clubs, players and future stars and put the Island firmly on the high-performance map.
Those plans were put on hold in the wake of his departure from St Peter in 2013 but, guided by research trips across the Atlantic and a host of high-profile contacts, they soon evolved into a tangible, multi-million-pound project.
The central theme for that early vision remained steadfast and next week – five years after receiving Planning approval – Harvey’s dream will become a reality.
High performance athletes and health club members will have their own training areas – developed by high-performance specialist Tim Exeter, who has previously worked with Ryder Cup golfers and numerous Olympians – and they will each be equipped with apparatus that rivals any elite gym in the country. Together, they house £1million-worth of training aids.
Members will also have access to a hydrotherapy pool which boasts a treadmill, for injury recovery, and underwater cameras to analyse swimming techniques. The likes of NFL giants Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots are among those using similar pools and the Wellington Regional High Performance Centre in New Zealand – used by the All Blacks – also have one on order.
The pool fitted at Strive is one of only two of its kind in the UK.
Elsewhere, there are two altitude fitness-class chambers – one apiece for members and athletes – a Reformer pilates studio, complete with a ‘living’ feature wall, a yoga suite, dojo and outdoor ‘3G’ grass pitch.
Seven full-time coaches and two physiotherapists will be on hand to offer their services to members and Jersey’s leading athletes, including Jonny Picot, who will leave his post as first-team physio at Manchester United next month. Chloe Montgomery, currently employed by RFU Premiership giants Harlequins, is also returning to the Island to join the team.
Harvey says he and Exeter drew up a wish list, then sat down again to establish what they had not thought of.
‘We wanted “world firsts”,’ he explained.
‘People won’t want for anything here. They’ll have the full service, including access to all the facilities and to our doctors, physios, osteopaths and chiropractors, who will send information on to our personal trainers. They will then adapt our members’ training programmes accordingly.’
Gold membership, starting from £95 per month, includes access to over 50 classes a month and facilities that have already impressed some of the biggest organisations in world sport.
Alongside the British and Irish Lions, who will visit from 13-24 June, England Netball and Leicester Tigers are also believed to have booked themselves in for training camps this summer.
Jersey Reds’ professionals were due to test out the facility for the first time this week and schoolchildren are also set to be offered the chance to give feedback.
A minimum of 15% of Strive’s annual membership income will be pumped straight into community projects, which will include supporting grassroots talent from all walks of life.
‘We might have a child here who’s the next Ronaldo, or a sailor who’s the next Ben Ainslie,’ Harvey added. ‘Because of that we had to make it “all things to all people” and we’ll also have an education centre, which will teach kids what their body can do.’
