Johnsons Sports Seed delivers performance under pressure
As a busy multi-sport facility, resilience of surfaces at Bristol University isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. Helping Grounds Manager Matt Carroll deliver consistent, high-quality pitches for winter and summer sports are mixtures from the Johnsons Sports Seed range, producing performance he and his team of four can rely on season after season.
Johnsons Sports Seed delivers performance under pressure
Matt has been with the University for over 20 years, stepping into the Grounds Manager role three years ago which sees him in charge of 38 acres of grounds, natural and artificial surfaces used heavily by university teams and the local community. “We accommodate a lot of sport – demand is through the roof!” exclaims Matt. “We don’t get much in the way of renovation or turnaround windows so the surfaces need to be resilient, recover quickly and, of course, look good.”
For close to a decade, delivering all of those qualities have been mixtures from the Johnsons Sports Seed range. “We’ve used various mixes over the years but have recently found a combination of J Premier Pitch on our winter sports pitches and two of the cricket outfields, and J Premier Wicket on the squares delivers the reliability we need.”
“We rely heavily on overseeding, often only having a matter of a few weeks when the sporting season changes and with Johnsons, the establishment and uptake we’ve had has been outstanding. Knowing you can get those results in a short timeframe makes a huge difference.” He adds, “Not only that but the colour is vivid year-round and they can stand up to the challenge of back-to back play.”
Reinforcing the quality of Bristol’s pitches, the venue was proudly chosen as a training venue for 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. “We were delighted to host the Canadian national team. It was full on but really showcased the best of our surfaces and the products we’re using.”
“Our Regional Technical Manager Ian Barnett has also always been a great help, providing technical advice to help us make the very best selection.” Together with the team, Matt was recently fortunate enough to visit the DLF Living Catalogue and trials centre. “This just shows you’re getting the best product, that’s thoroughly tested and delivers results in every bag and on every surface.”
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