A good day was had by all ...
Sheffield Wednesday host Football Groundsmen’s Day with Richard, Simon, Kate, Carl and Norman!
THE success of any seminar or training day is heavily reliant on the personalities who attend and the knowledge and expertise of the guest speakers. Well, I was not let down at the recent Football Groundsmen’s day held at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club hosted by Scotts, Syngenta and Sports-E-Quipment. The programme for the day was
centred on disease and management of winter sports pitches along with a talk on the renovation programme following the unprecedented flooding of Sheffield Wednesday’s pitch this summer. With over thirty professional
Groundsmen from the top four divisions in attendance, and with guest speakers Richard Walton (Scotts), Simon Barnaby (Syngenta), Dr Kate Entwistle (The Turf Disease Centre) and Carl Pass (Premier Pitches), the day was very productive. Richard Walton spoke about the wide range of products and services his company now offers and the benefits of partnerships with other companies such as Syngenta; between them, they can bring the next generation of products and services to the market. Dr Kate Entwistle gave an absorbing
presentation on identifying and understanding turf diseases, getting the
point across about the importance of being able to identify the problem first before deciding on the choice and method of controls. This was followed by a more detailed presentation on nematode infestations on winter sports pitches.
Simon Barnaby then gave two very
interesting presentations, one on understanding fungicides, detailing their mode of action and how to get the best results in conjunction with ongoing maintenance practices. This was followed by an update on the use of PrimoMaxx and how effective it has been in the maintenance of turf surfaces, particularly in football stadia environments.
NEW - General Turf Maintenance Courses
Pitchcare’s new one day courses ‘kicks off’ with Winter Sports at Wolverhampton Wanderers Molineux stadium
I’m delighted to tell you about a new one day course we have designed, covering General Turf Maintenance.
Over the coming winter/spring we shall be offering a series of one day courses on General Turf Maintenance, covering either the winter or summer sports. The first of these will focus on football/rugby and takes place on Thursday 15 November 2007 at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC’s Molineux ground. The course is designed to provide a basic knowledge of grounds maintenance for winter sports surfaces and will be of equal benefit to those who work alone on a sports ground, including volunteers and part time grounds people, or members of groundstaff teams. It would also be ideal as a refresher course and, of course, it’s a great opportunity to spend a day with your fellow turf professionals! The course will be delivered by
Pitchcare’s own Dave Saltman, so you can be sure that as well as enjoying a range of practical training, you will pick up lots of tips and sound advice. Dave will
demonstrate the skills required to provide, maintain and renovate the playing surface before, during and after the playing season.
In addition, each delegate will receive a
comprehensive Winter Sports Turf Maintenance Manual for future reference and as a reminder of the techniques and skills covered on the day.
Course Objectives:
1.To provide safe working practices when completing operations on the ground.
2.To appreciate the requirements for particular sports and pitch maintenance generally.
3.To demonstrate how to provide playing surfaces to the required standard.
4.To implement the correct sequence of operations in producing and maintaining the playing surface.
5.To use and compare the different materials available for the production of the pitch.
Dave Saltman
6.To use and compare the range of equipment available for the production and maintenance of the pitch.
7.To carry out renovation to the pitch after the game.
8.To carry out maintenance of equipment used for the sports.
The total cost is excellent value at just £85 + VAT per person, which includes all training, the Winter Sports Turf Maintenance Manual, lunch and refreshments. All delegates will earn a Pitchcare Certificate of Attendance. To book your place, go to the ‘Booking Now’ section of the training pages on the Pitchcare website, or email me at
chris@pitchcare.com.
Similar courses will be held over the
winter, at venues to suit demand, so to register your interest email me with your details and whether you require the winter or summer sports.
Chris Johnson, Pitchcare Training Coordinator.
It was then left to Carl Pass from
Premier Pitches to talk about the renovation programme that took place after the floods in June, bringing the pitch back into play in such a short time frame before the start of the new season. Finally, the day was
rounded off with a special guest appearance from ex Manchester United and Northern Ireland striker, Norman Whiteside, a friend of Garry Worrall of Sports-E-Quipment who was, himself, a
Man United player alongside Norman in the 1980s. Norman was promoting his new autobiography The Life and Times.
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