Comment
James Mead mowing the famous Rugby School pitch
holds,” suggests Paul. “Gain some local experience through volunteering - this is good for the CV, gets you known locally and creates an entry-path into the industry that might not otherwise exist.”
James reckons that we need to glamourise the industry in schools and career centres. “Show them the best we have across all sports. We have to show off our talent at every opportunity. The Olympics employed groundsmen, but did you hear of it? And what a success London and Rio were for Team GB. We have to show the general public just how much we contribute to international and national events. Gardening and cookery shows have completely altered the perception of those industries. Can we at least try to do the same, please!”
Adam shares this view. “I don’t think we spend enough time going to schools and career events and telling young people how they could get involved and how good the industry is. I would say that most youngsters still get involved through family members or from the volunteer side.”
Yet Andy Gray thinks it is something they’ve got to want to do to start with. “It is not a nine to five job; it is your life. The opportunity of working outdoors is a big factor. In the summer, there is no better job, but then not so much in the winter!”
“For me, it is about being responsible for something that plays a major part in the most popular sport around the world. To constantly strive to achieve better results and standards than those reached yesterday. There is no limit in what you can achieve and progress to. There is always a challenge or two in the way, so you are always thinking and on your toes. That would be how I would sell it to a young person. Asking them, do you want to be challenged every day for your entire career?”
Could your sport’s governing body do more to highlight our sector?
“Yes, very much so,” comments Adam. “I 18 I PC OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 “
The Avening Course at Minchinhampton
Players Championship and so on - switching from terrestrial to pay-per-view TV.”
We have to show the general public just how much we contribute to international and national events. Gardening and cookery shows have completely altered the perception of those industries. Can we at least try to do the same, please! JAMES MEAD
think the standard of pitches and golf courses at the top end is at an all-time high, but most of the media still seem to pick holes in the surfaces, so more needs to be done by the governing bodies to ensure the groundsman or greenkeeper has a voice before, during and after matches.”
“The Premier League have done things in recent years to help promote our work and help to try and protect pitches in warm ups,” offers Andy Gray. “I don’t really have the opinion of needing to highlight our industry in our sector as we are there to provide a service for the players to perform on. It is their stage. We just provide it.”
Paul says that, in the case of golf, the R&A and England Golf do good work in promoting the sector. “National media gives good coverage, although many are dismayed at live TV coverage of many of the leading events - The Open, BMW PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, US Open, USPGA,
Andy Mackay believes that they are doing a good job. “In conjunction with the IOG, Jason Booth is a man with a vision, and he’s really making a difference. But, when push comes to shove, it’s us that need to drive things forward rather than sit back and wait for someone to do it for us. Ten years ago I felt very disillusioned by the IOG. Now I feel enthused.”
Membership associations - do they still have a role in today's industry?
First up Paul, the man with ‘hands-on’ experience. “Having devoted a significant amount of my spare time to volunteering in this sector over thirty years, through South West BIGGA, the BIGGA Ltd Board and now, in Europe, as a Board member of FEGGA, I certainly hope so.”
“Like everything else; that which does not change or move with the times will wither and even risk becoming defunct. Working with the many Greenkeeper Associations in Europe, it is great to see this process underway. Associations continually have to look for new ways to engage their members, new ways of supporting their members and ways of easing issues and conflicts between greenkeeper and employer. In short, associations need to continually evolve and adapt to the needs of their members, whilst also generating the funds to do so.”
“This may be something as simple as improved communication networks, right through to restructuring to bring meaningful membership support and benefits to an increasingly modern-thinking, but pressurised, workforce.”
Andy Gray is of the view that they benefit the lower levels more. “In my opinion, the groundsmen at the grassroots end of our industry need membership associations more than the guys working at the higher end. The volunteers and self-taught groundsmen who look after their local village
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164