Educational Establishments Lancing College 1st XI in action
service in the chapel. I was chosen from all the school’s support staff, to take part in the event, so it was a special moment for me.”
It’s clear that James has a natural affinity with leadership and acting as mentor to his young team. During his time at LVS, he helped the progression of one pupil in particular, who joined the groundcare full team at sixteen after several years helping out for fun. “The school allowed him to join us for a day a week because he showed such passion for the trade,” says James. “Academically, he wasn’t as able as others and wasn’t even entered for exams by the college but, whilst with us, he made huge strides and managed to pass his NVQ Level 2.” “Academia wasn’t for him, but he showed a level of application and a work ethic that impressed us. He clearly loved what he was doing and never once let me down, despite being warned by the school that he might be a handful. He achieved his NVQ 2, so it goes to show that, if you find your niche, anyone can excel.”
James has enjoyed similar success with Shawn, who joined the team at sixteen from Camelia Botnar Foundation at nearby Cowfold, leaving school with no qualifications but an enthusiasm for groundsmanship.
Shawn has since completed a range of
turfcare qualifications, as well as some academic ones, which he’s tackled more successfully since the move to Lancing. What particularly attracted him was the multisport aspect of the job which, from a training perspective, has armed him well for the future. “There are greater opportunities to work in different areas of the trade, whether it be professional football, cricket or golf,” explains Shawn. “A solid
grounding in all sports, general grounds maintenance skills and gardening gives you a more rounded knowledge.” Shawn’s own progression is proof enough of this and, in his career to date, he’s already talking like a man with experience beyond his years. “I trained for a year at Craven Cottage [Fulham FC] working alongside their team,” Shawn tells me, “but it’s great being back at Lancing where they are responsive to new technologies. To improve, you have to evolve. To improve, you have to evolve.” The multisports demands at Lancing
are clearly offering Shawn the challenges he wants, if he’s to follow in James’ footsteps and progress fast and young. “The variety is what I enjoy about this location. I love working with sportsturf - it’s my passion. One mower, his mower and 300 acres, you have to love it to get it all done!” Shawn’s enthusiasm is infectious, and his desire to become head groundsman in the next five years is one that James, and his colleagues, have little doubt will be realised.
The nurturing qualities of James
extend beyond just his staff to his work, where he’s taken the quality of the sports surfaces to territories hitherto unknown, in line with the professional provision increasingly expected from the leading public and private schools. “I love it here; the backdrop is stunning, the sea’s on our doorstep and we have a great bunch of lads to work with, but there’s still much to achieve,” he states. “Cricket wise, the pitches are where we want them,” he says, “we’ve aerated the first square to achieve a bit more pace but, with budget limitations, the results won’t be seen this season.” Cricket has always been the focus for the College; the first team square
“The variety is what I enjoy about this
“The backdrop is stunning, the sea’s on our doorstep and we have a great bunch of lads to work with, but there’s still much to achieve”
James with Shawn Town
location. I love working with sportsturf - it’s my passion”
JUNE/JULY 2013 PC 91
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