Summer Sports - Tennis “
With the strong, full- time team we have around us, it's easy to believe that the run up to the tournament is straightforward and, whilst we have an idea of what to expect, that notion couldn’t be further from the truth
We were out cleaning and manicuring the site right up until the last possible minute!
joined us in Birmingham. Sue has arrived from the University of Nottingham. Having found opportunities to progress limited, she has taken the opportunity to diversify her skill set whilst working under the pressures associated with a televised, international sporting event; not to mention the pressure of being surrounded by two rather close family members! Of course, with all the changes in our team
Anthony Knight demonstrating the sharp eye for marking that comes with years of practice
In the last few years, we’ve found ourselves fixing stands, laying block paving, erecting fences and repairing carpet. We end up being joiners, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, photographers and more
” 58 I PC AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
in the last few years, it’s easy to forget we have a member of staff who’s been at the club so long we joke that he helped build and establish the club! Anthony Knight has been involved with Edgbaston Priory for over ten years now, and his years of experience are vital to us. Whether it is knowing the members on a personal level, or knowing where just about everything on the site is (having probably been there when things were built or installed!), Ant proves that, while developing and diversifying our team has been useful, there still needs to be some consistency to the approach we take. So, with the strong, full-time team we have
around us, it’s easy to believe that the run up to the tournament is straightforward and, whilst we have an idea of what to expect, that notion couldn’t be further from the truth!
We are in the hands of a host of variables,
whether it be the weather or external contractors, so every job we plan is subject to some negotiation and flexibility. It’s this lack of an opportunity to stick to an ideal plan that creates the stress, but also the challenge we love. You also have to consider, that the answer to most issues that crop up on site is to turn to the grounds team. We’re there literally 24/7 and tend to know the site better than most, so understandably the call goes our way - it certainly keeps the job varied.
In the last few years, we’ve found
ourselves fixing stands, laying block paving, erecting fences and repairing carpet. We end up being joiners, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, photographers and more. And all this, on top of trying to do the job we
actually think we’re there to do - look after the grounds! Certainly, a day working with the grounds team during a major event, most likely at any sporting event, but particularly in tennis, would be an eye opener for most people.
The build for this year’s Aegon Classic Birmingham commenced officially on Monday 18th May - a full four weeks before the tournament actually started. The build begins with the installation of the majority of the portable accommodation (porta-cabins, portable toilets, sleeper units) being delivered and installed. This is closely followed by the erection of the temporary seating for the event. Concurrently, the player hospitality areas and the additional staff areas are fitted on three of the indoor courts, where a stretched false ceiling is hung and temporary walls are built to create many rooms and offices. The last major part of the build then involves marquee structures being built on site to house the public catering facilities, a retail village and the corporate hospitality area. Unfortunately this year, there were some
major complications which meant the build was beset with delays, so much so that, in fact, we were out finishing projects by moonlight the night before qualifying commenced and the tournament site opened to the public! This included applying woodchip to ornamental areas, completing the laying of decking and even hosing down and cleaning car parks and paths where heavy plant had been driving during the build-up period. It must be noted at this point that, as well
as the five full time staff we have available (counting ourselves), our team swells during the Aegon Classic Birmingham with the addition of around thirty-five temporary groundstaff who also double as court covering staff. The majority of this team is recruited from the University of Birmingham and have little or no previous experience working at sports facilities, and certainly not with international standard grass tennis courts! For this reason, we go through a
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