Pitchcare Classifieds ROLLERS
General Sport
Praising the value of volunteers
NEW ROLLER Designed and built by Swillington Rollers
For use on cricket/sports fields. Hydraulic drive, Hydraulic steer,
Fitted with 9hp electric start Honda
This roller can push, pull, carry load, and roll.
FROM £4200 Part exchange considered
Tel: 0113 287 5318 Mobile: 07946 622748
SEED SUPPLIERS
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GOLF COURSE & SPORTSGROUND CONSTRUCTION
• Catering for all sectors of the industry • Standard amenity grass mixtures • Special mixture formulation service • Expert advice • Nationwide delivery For further information contact: Simon Taylor
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RENOVATION & MAINTENANCE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS LAND DRAINAGE SCHEMES WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Tel.01722 716361
www.mjabbott.co.uk
Order online at
We take them all for granted; most by expectation. So, how valuable is the
volunteer sector to the sportsturf industry?
Bob Stretton looks at the history of, and argues the case for, the volunteer
THROUGHOUT the years, the sportsturf industry has thrived, with independent sport and recreation clubs operating the length and breadth of the country.
Cricket Renovation Seed Mixes CR1 & CR2 WASP coated seed also available 24 hour delivery
Hurrells Specialist Seeds, Beverley Road Cranswick Driffield East Yorkshire YO25 9PF Tel: 01377 271400 Fax: 01377 271500 Email:
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www.hmseeds.com SOIL ANALYSIS • Supplies
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128 PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2013
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Large manufacturing and commercial companies would once provide greenfield playing facilities for employees to enjoy, following a week long slog in the steelworks, factories, offices and coal mines. And they all employed a full time groundsman!
Social clubs were a hive of activity as teams were formulated to represent their companies, and
interdepartmental competitions were organised to see which factory or office team was the best.
In return, the company would help support the social club by paying for kit and resources. As interest grew in sport, organised committees were formed to ensure they were run efficiently. These usually consisted of a chairman, secretary and treasurer; all volunteers, and all having a separate, but vital role to play in the club’s administration.
In due course, football and cricket leagues evolved and prospered. On a smaller scale, so too did tennis, bowls, rugby and athletics. Thousands of
aspiring sportsmen and women would be out every weekend, and even midweek, enjoying the fresh air and enthusiastically doing their best for their company.
Sports governing bodies saw the potential in this upsurge of interest in sport and set up county associations to help oversee the growth,
administration and organisation.
For many years, these sporting organisations prospered as more as more people became interested in sport.
The ‘Boom & Bust’ of the 80s and 90s was to have a major affect on a once thriving sports industry, as social clubs came under threat from a lack of financial support from companies that once stood proud to support their own.
It was now time for the governing bodies to come to the aid of those clubs in most need of their support, whilst trying to survive the downturn in the economy. Sports clubs were looking for guidance, education and, where possible, financial support in order for them to survive. Yet, it seems that they were more interested in ‘looking after their own backs’.
Over the years, with a steady decline in manufacturing, these once prestigious sports grounds and their facilities eroded away
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