“I would like to see clubs at our level helped in some way”
The difference in pitch quality in less than a week due to drought conditions
collected, it can then be utilised on the pitch. In my three year tenure at Willenhall Town FC, I was fortunate to have a very large tank situated behind one of the stands. This collected rainwater from the roof of the stand and I was then able to use a conveniently situated pump to get water onto the pitch. In drought conditions I had no option but to top up the tank with the mains water supply but, without the tank, their costs would have been a lot higher.
I would like to see clubs at and around our level being helped in some way, whether it be help towards costs such as watering our pitches or funding in utilising rainwater in order to help give our players the best possible surfaces to ply their trade. This could even expand to our schools, where some surfaces are
an absolute disgrace. Some are so bad that injuries are just waiting to happen. But that’s another story. Recently, I have even had conversations with contractors who do an
excellent job in renovating pitches at the end of the season, only to be contacted asking why the pitch isn’t responding to the work that’s been carried out. The answer was simple. The club hadn’t bothered, for whatever reason, to water the pitch. This has led to disputes with a delay or non payment to the contractors. In terms of physiology grass is no
different to humankind. We can both do without food for a period of time but we cannot survive without water.
As an industry, at whatever level, we need to help each other in this matter. Can someone tell me where the answer lies? Maybe I am missing something that is obvious and is staring right me in the face. I fully realise that water is a valuable and essential commodity and we have to respect it and waste as little as
possible. But, with the threat of hosepipe bans seemingly always lurking around the corner, what are our pitches going to be like without being able to water them adequately through restrictions or complete blanket bans? Like so many other people in this industry of ours, the vast majority do not wish to see artificial surfaces take over our natural grass surfaces. I recently asked playing members of staff at our club what was their preference. Each and every one was in favour of grass. They even had reservations of training on artificial surfaces although, from a personal stand point, I would much rather they do that than do what they do now by training on the pitch twice a week.
In closing this article I would like to politely urge anyone who has read it, to give me or anyone else any information whatsoever that may benefit the surfaces that we work on, whatever the sport. Good luck to all of you for the forthcoming winter sports season.
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www.pitchcare.com/re
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www.pitchcare.com/re
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