Beccles Town win FA award

/in , , /by

Beccles Town win FA award: Beccles Town Football Club has won the Ransomes Jacobsen sponsored Suffolk FA Groundsman of the Year competition for the second consecutive season.

The competition, which is open to clubs who play in Step 7 and below in Suffolk, has been sponsored by Ransomes Jacobsen for many years and has played an important role in raising the quality of football pitches in the county.

Beccles Town win FA award

Beccles Town win FA award

After entering for the first time last year and being placed first, Beccles’ joint groundsmen Chris Brown and Shaun Soloman were again judged as this year’s winners. They just beat Adrian Waters of Halesworth Town, who entered for the first time, to this year’s title with Tony Adams of Claydon FC finishing third.

Beccles Town joint groundsman Shaun Soloman said: “This just makes it all worthwhile. We don’t do it to get recognition but for the town and the people of the town and especially the kids to be able to play on a decent pitch that we never had the chance to do as it used to be a mud bath.”

The judging panel was led by Ipswich Town Football Club head groundsman, Ben Connell, and he was accompanied by Suffolk FA football development manager Jodie Allard, Institute of Groundsmen pitch advisor east, Phil Jeggo, Tim Parker of Suffolk FA Pitch Improvement Programme sponsors Parkers Pitches and Steve Alabaster, regional sales manager for Ransomes Jacobsen.

This year’s competition was one of the hardest to judge with the quality of pitches rising in Suffolk, and lead judge, Ben Connell, has been pleased to see the initiatives from different parties having an impact.

“I’ve been taking part in the judging for seven years, and the standards are getting better and better. I’ve seen the pitches improve over that time and I’d put that down to the dedication of the groundsmen and the support and advice they get from the Suffolk FA and the IOG.

“This competition has been a great initiative, and along with the funding from the FA and IOG, it has really made a difference to grassroots football in Suffolk because the pitches are getting better. Without the sponsorship of the competition from Ransomes Jacobsen and the support from the FA and IOG, we wouldn’t have got to this point, and I’m looking forward to seeing further progress.”

Steve Alabaster from Ransomes Jacobsen added: “I’m quite taken aback and astounded by how much work the volunteers put in, especially when they have to finance a majority of the work themselves. Some of these guys have hardly got anything at all, and they’re producing fantastic surfaces for kids and adults to play on. I was really surprised that every pitch we saw wasn’t waterlogged because of the heavy rain we’ve had, and it is incredible that they’re doing that with such little resources – each pitch we’ve seen is a credit to the groundsmen who maintain them.

“It’s fantastic to be able to big up these guys because they don’t always get much recognition and it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to partner and support the Suffolk FA. It’s something we’ve been doing for a number of years that we’re very proud to be part of.”

In addition to being crowned as Groundsman of the Year, Beccles Town will receive £200 to be spent on groundscare equipment, with Halesworth Town receiving £100 and Claydon £50. All three clubs will be invited to attend the Suffolk FA Awards Ceremony later in the year to receive their prizes.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Adam Cooper joins GaNTIP

/in , , /by

Adam Cooper joins GaNTIP: The Institute of Groundsmanship-led Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme (GaNTIP) has announced the appointment of Adam Cooper, a practising groundsman with more than 31 years’ experience, as regional pitch advisor (RPA) for the North West.

His appointment comes at a time when sports clubs up and down the country are suffering the devastations of storms Ciara and Dennis, and the skills and advice of GaNTIP’s team of RPAs – now nine, plus two key account managers – will be essential in helping grassroots clubs recover from the devastation.

Adam Cooper joins GaNTIP

Adam Cooper joins GaNTIP

GaNTIP is the successful programme that is improving the standard of grassroots football and cricket pitches, as well as the skills of those who look after them, throughout England. It will now be working closely with the England & Wales Cricket Board and Country Cricket Boards, as well as with County FAs, to offer advice and help to clubs when the flood waters subside.

Based in Preston, Lancashire, Adam – who entered the groundscare industry after qualifying as a quantity surveyor – brings to the role extensive experience in maintaining cricket surfaces as well as surfaces for tennis, football, bowls, hockey, croquet and golf. He also spent the past two years in an advisory support role within the GaNTIP programme.

His CV includes work at four Premier League cricket clubs, as well as at AFC Fylde and Accrington Stanley FC plus managing the cricket, hockey, tennis and football surfaces at Lytham Cricket and Tennis Club.

Adam has also been involved in many volunteer grounds roles over the years, particularly at his local cricket club and at the various sporting venues where his children played football, tennis and hockey.

He says he “is looking forward to helping grassroots clubs by applying this understanding of the challenges faced by volunteers, especially now as they face a tumultuous task in reinstating pitches that have been destroyed by the storms.”

Out of work, Adam is a keen sportsman and plays hockey and cricket. He also enjoys salmon fishing and sailing.

GaNTIP is a joint programme between the Institute of Groundsmanship, The Football Association, Football Foundation and the England & Wales Cricket Board, and programme director Jason Booth, says: “Adam’s appointment reinforces how GaNTIP continues to apply the best skills in order to help grassroots sports clubs up and down the country.

“Their experience and advice will be now also be vital in helping grassroots clubs recover from the awful flooding that we’ve experienced in recent months.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

New ICL 2020/21 Product Guide

/in , /by

New ICL 2020/21 Product Guide: Redesigned from the ground up, the new ICL Turf & Landscape Product Guide includes an up-to-date listing of products and an abundance of useful information for those who manage turf and amenity areas.

The Product Guide consists of sections on key product areas:

Nutrition

ICL’s unique cutting edge, controlled release and slow release technologies deliver nutrients accurately and efficiently. Turf managers across the globe have long trusted the proven fertilizer range which includes micro-granular fertilizers such as Sierraform GT and Greenmaster Pro-Lite; mini-granular fertilizers for sports and amenity turf such as Sierrablen, Sierrablen Plus, ProTurf and Sportsmaster; liquid fertilizers in the form of Greenmaster and soluble fertilizers including the Sportsmaster WSF range.

New ICL 2020/21 Product Guide

New ICL 2020/21 Product Guide

Water Management

At a time when it’s increasingly important to manage water effectively, not only to save money, but to tackle environmental issues, ICL’s range of unique and flexible wetting agents/dew dispersants, available in liquid, granular and table form help optimise water and moisture management.

Turf Protection

When it comes to protecting turf and managing landscape areas, ICL’s range of plant protection and control products provide the tools needed in any armoury.  Featuring Syngenta’s leading range of fungicides such as Instrata Elite and Medallion TL; a powerful line-up of fast acting herbicides including Praxys and Esteron T; the number one growth regulator Primo Maxx II and the innovative turf pigment Ryder – there is a solution to ensure that turf managers are in control at all times.

Vegetation Management

In this section of the brochure, readers will find a wide range of specialist products to help manage public areas, industrial zones and the transportation infrastructure. Containing dynamic herbicides with residual, pre-emergent and post-emergent activity, the likes of Ecoplug Max, a patented product for tree stump control, and LockStar, a total herbicide that controls a broad spectrum of weeds, will provide users with effective vegetation management solutions.

Grass Seed

The development of ICL’s range of grass seeds is growing all the time and the ProSelect range brings advanced, up-to-date material to the market. Formulated with the best varieties and highest ranked cultivars, there are 12 blends to choose from for golf courses, sports pitches, turf growers and landscape contractors. Furthermore, the ProSelect range of seed is boosted by the inclusion of ZipSeed technology – a coating treatment which improves germination speed by up to 30%, enhances rooting and increases grass coverage by up to 20%.

To request a copy please contact ICL via email at marketing.ukire@icl-group.com or call 01473 237100.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

New Sports and Grounds Exhibition

/in , , /by

New Sports and Grounds Exhibition: The Sports and Grounds Exhibition (SAGE) is the all new summer grounds maintenance exhibition opening 21st – 23rd July 2020.

SAGE has been introduced for the sports and grounds maintenance industry to showcase their market leading products as well as release new innovations in an outdoor environment, which will provide more opportunities to both the visitor and exhibitor. The exhibition falls well in the sports and grounds maintenance calendar, placing it nicely between BTME and SALTEX.

New Sports and Grounds Exhibition

New Sports and Grounds Exhibition

The target of SAGE is to bring together grounds personnel from a broad range of sectors and provide an engaging and well-resourced environment in which they have the opportunity to test out and see in action the latest products and ideas on the market. SAGE has huge potential to grow and develop year on year.

SAGE is a three-day event and has been formed out of the heightening demand by visitors and exhibitors to get “hands-on”. The Three Counties Showground provides the ideal situation for both the exhibitor and visitor alike. It is beautifully set at the foot of the famous Malvern Hills and within easy reach of Malvern and Worcester which both have ample amounts of accommodation. The Three Counties Showground already plays host to the RHS Spring & Autumn shows as well as the famous Three Counties Show.

The sectors who will be exhibiting so far include turf maintenance, machinery, line marking, fertilizers, seed weed control and play grounds, we expect to gain many more over the coming weeks. Keep up to date with all the exhibitor releases by following us on Twitter. For your chance to win a 2 night stay at the renowned Abbey Hotel in Great Malvern for the exhibition dates like our facebook page @exposage2020 and follow us on twitter @EXPOSAGE*.

SAGE is currently working with Lantra to develop onsite training during the exhibition, there will also be the opportunity to attend seminars on a range of key topics; from the sustainability to machine maintenance.

Hospitality will be provided by many of our exhibitors onsite. There are no entrance fees and onsite parking is free of charge. There are plans currently underway to run a shuttle bus between the train station, the centre of Malvern and The Three Counties Showground. The Three Counties is in a central location with good transport links easily providing a national and international reach. We look forward to seeing you in July.

*Terms & Conditions Apply.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Ilkley Town back up and running

/in , , /by

Ilkley Town back up and running: Ilkley Town AFC is back up and running in the wake of flooding by Storm Ciara.

“We’re very pleased to be back up and running again,” said Richard Giles, chairman of Ilkley Town. “When Storm Ciara hit, the river burst its banks and came on to the pitch.”

Ilkley Town back up and running

Ilkley Town back up and running

Since then, 20 teams of players and coaches across the whole of the football club have been unable to train or play games for the last two-and-a-half weeks.

Ilkley’s first team, who play on the all-weather pitch at Ben Rhydding Sports Club, have relied on the help of at least 50 volunteers to bring the playing facilities back into use again.

“We’ve brushed and disinfected the pitch,” said Giles. “We’ve worked hard on it, and have had a lot of volunteers to come and help. We’ve had a great response from the community, and players, parents and coaches have all volunteered their time.”

When asked if the floods had disrupted the improvements Ilkley Town need to carry out to upgrade their facilities in case of possible promotion, Giles said: “It’s distracted us, but even during the flooding from Storm Ciara the decorator was inside the pavilion refurbishing the changing room while the flooding was happening. It’s built up higher than the pitch, so it looked like it was in the middle of a lake.”

The hard work by the volunteers has meant for the first time since Storm Ciara, Ilkley’s first team will be able to train in preparation for this Saturday’s West Yorkshire League Cup match against Carlton Athletic. Kick-off is 2pm at Ben Rhydding Sports Club.

With their last two games called off because of the weather, Giles said: “The players will be a bit rusty as they get back to match sharpness. However, every other team will be the same boat.”

Giles said Ilkley Town are just one of the teams who use the facilities at Ben Rhydding Sports Club affected by the flooding.

“The Ben Rhydding hockey pitch had been under water and the groundsman at Ben Rhydding Cricket Club has been working hard to get the pitch back into shape.”

He added that two grass 11-a-side pitches and three mini pitches used by Ilkley Town’s junior teams seem to be okay despite the flooding.

“They’re not too bad,” said Giles. “Once the river goes down, they drain well.”

Giles said the flooding caused by Storm Ciara is rare, and he said the only time he had seen anything like it was Boxing Day 2015. He also said the end of March last year was pretty bad as well.

“It has flooded four out of the last five years after not having flooded before that,” said Giles. “We’re just crossing our fingers that the worse is behind us.”

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.