EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS
Getting Personal
Andrew Woodhall - Hizzy, Stalker, Nell and Elmer!
Who are you? Andrew Woodhall, Head Groundsman at Pocklington School.
Family status? Married with a two- year-old little girl and a little boy in the oven due in June.
Who’s your hero and why? Hizzy Steve Hislop and Stalker Chris Walker for their achievements in motorcycle racing.
What would you change about yourself? Lose some weight.
What’s your guilty pleasure? PS4, cuppa tea with biscuits - and can I say the wife?
What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Being able to get to where I have so far.
What are your pet peeves? 1) teachers who only use the first corner of a pitch, and 2) too much negativity.
If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? In this country, away with my wife and nearly two kids on a beach in Devon or Norfolk.
What’s the best part of your job? Working outdoors, and especially during the school holidays when the site is completely empty.
… and the worst? Repeating every year in trying to get the teachers to use all of the pitch not just the nearest corner.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? When I started in this career, I wanted to get into one of the industry magazines. Also, try to do the best for my family.
Which three albums would you take to a desert island? Any of Robbie Williams, Olly Murs and Ellie Goulding.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? I was going to say Nell McAndrew, but changed it to the wife!
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Buy a bigger house with some land, bigger car and caravan.
What would you consign to Room 101 and why? Politicians, because they could not organise the proverbial up in a brewery!
What talent would you like to have? To play the saxophone.
78 PC June/July 2019 The cricket pavilion
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? Nell McAndrew, Neil Hodgson and Elmer Fudd so I could ask him about those pesky rabbits.
If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why? One of my heroes so I could do the fastest lap times.
Do you have any bad habits? You’d better ask the wife.
... or any good ones? Too honest for my own good.
Do you go to bed worrying about the next day's workload? Sometimes, if it is something that needs good weather to finish.
What are you reading at the moment? - Hard copy or online? Pitchcare, I don’t really read a great deal of stuff.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? A friend once said to run my own department right and not to worry if others were taking the mickey.
What’s your favourite smell? Seaweed.
What do you do in your spare time? Spend a lot of time with my family but, when I can, I do dance modern jive or tinker.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? “It must be great getting all of the school holidays off”. I wish! “Is it possible to water the pitch this morning so it is softer for this afternoon?”
What’s your favourite piece of kit? Atco pedestrian roller mower, because it cuts like a cylinder and leaves a better stripe.
What ‘three’ words would you use to describe yourself? Hard working, reliable, do not take praise easily.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Less paperwork.
Presentation is important Maintenance Regimes (see also side bar)
“We each can carry out every task, but there are favourite jobs,” says Andrew. “Presentation ranks highly as appearance is vital; and lines must be straight!”
From the end of July each year, the cricket squares are renovated. Easter time sees major overseeding and topdressing. Andrew has to work within budget when carrying out renovations. Hockey Camp in August means preparations and all tennis nets removed. This is a regular event, so it can be planned well in advance. Rugby pitches need to be marked out to accommodate Rugby Camp each August too. Changing weather patterns meant delaying verti- draining last summer as it was so dry! “One thing seems to be sure,” says Andrew about preparations, “it always rains when the school returns after Easter!” The artificial pitches are brushed every week,
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