SUMMER SPORTS Getting Personal
Thomas Wells - he had no idea what career he would take and dislikes Piers Morgan
Who are you? Thomas Edward Wells. Twenty-fi ve years old - originally from Solihull, but moved to Preston in 2014 to study at Myerscough college and ended up staying.
Family status. Been in a relationship for six years, no children, two dogs and one cat.
What’s been the highlight of your grounds career so far? Preparing a pitch for the Vatican cricket team whilst at Stonyhurst College and it being the centre of attention of the whole school. Also receiving great feedback from everyone involved in the match.
If your younger self saw you now, what would he think? He would be very surprised that, from not knowing what I wanted to do as a career when leaving school, I made a big jump moving away from home to study something completely against the normal.
Which famous people wind you up? Piers Morgan!!
What job would you love, other than your own? Either Head Groundman at Aston Villa FC or the Edgbaston cricket ground.
What was the most embarrassing moment in your life? Not knowing what I wanted to do when leaving school. All my friends had a plan of what they wanted to do and how they would get there.
What is your favourite fi lm? Harry Potter.
What scares you? Heights. What would your
autobiography be called? The Grumpy Groundsman.
What is your favourite sport? To play cricket, but to watch football.
64 PC April/May 2021
Which historical time and place would you most like to visit? Either the ancient Egyptian or Roman times.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? Just to live life to the full and provide well for my family.
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? Jack Grealish, Andrew Flintoff and Rory Mcllory.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Good things come to those who wait.
What’s your favourite smell? Freshly cut grass.
What’s the daftest work- related question you have ever been asked? How do you dye a cricket pitch white?
What’s your favourite piece of kit? The Dennis FT610.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Workaholic, self-driven and motivated.
What is the single most useful thing you could tell a 16-year-old groundsperson? To go out and get the correct qualifi cations; whether that’s by going to college or university, or by doing an apprenticeship.
What talent would you like to have? To play the guitar.
Before tennis renovations
I have been trialing Purity Soil Conditioner. It has considerably reduced the amount and we will hopefully continue to see the benefi ts throughout the year.” “The only real disease we see, mainly on the courts and the square, is the odd outbreak of red thread, which we treat with a high nitrogen feed to try and grow it out.” The site’s ecology is very important to Thomas and its members. “Around three sides of the site, we have a bit of natural woodland and we tend not to cut any of the grass down in those areas to encourage natural wildlife
and insects. Over the last six months, the tennis members have put up about a dozen bird and bat boxes behind the clubhouse. In the long run, I would like to introduce an area of natural wildfl owers to increase the number of insects and Hymenoptera (bees and wasps) to pollinate. Due to lockdown and no sport being played, I have seen a lot more wildlife around the site.” It struck me whilst chatting to Thomas that he knows his stuff for a youngster (compared to me), so I wanted to fi nd out what encouraged him to get into the industry. “I didn’t know what career path
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