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SIS Pitches A Certified Manufacturer

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SIS Pitches A Certified Manufacturer: SIS Pitches first company in UK and Ireland to be individually recognised as a Certified Field Builder and Certified Manufacturer by International Hockey Federation.

  • SIS Pitches manufactures and builds hockey pitches across the UK and Ireland
  • Company first to be recognised in this manner in these countries
  • The world-class playing surfaces are manufactured in own factory in Maryport, Cumbria

SIS Pitches A Certified Manufacturer

A UK-based company specialising in sports pitches has become the first in Britain and Ireland to be double-certified individually by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

SIS Pitches has been announced as a FIH Certified Manufacturer and FIH Certified Field Builder. This makes them the first company within Ireland and the British Isles to be double certified individually by the International Hockey Federation.

The double-certification from the FIH recognises SIS Pitches’ expertise in the control over the quality of hockey pitches in every aspect — from pitch design, manufacturing construction, installation and maintenance.

SIS Pitches, which is headquartered in Maryport, Cumbria, is a world-leader in synthetic and natural sports surfacing. It lays synthetic pitches across the globe, with some of its most prestigious hockey pitch projects located at The University of Manchester, Ben Rhydding Hockey Club, Harrow School and Alive LynnSport, which is the home of the Pelicans hockey team, based in Norfolk.

Away from hockey, SIS Pitches is proud to produce high-quality sports surfaces for football and rugby. The firm has constructed and installed SISGrass hybrid technology at 6 of the 12 pitches at the 2018 football World Cup in Russia, including the Luzhniki stadium, home of the opening and final matches of the tournament.

Alastair Cox, FIH Facilities and Quality Programme Manager, said:

“The consistently high standard of hockey turf manufacturing and the construction quality demonstrated in SIS Pitches’ field building earned them the right to be internationally endorsed by our Quality Programme for Hockey Turf. This is no easy feat. Additionally, their commitment to providing great hockey facilities that support our Hockey Revolution strategy – to make our sport a global game that inspires future generations, was an important factor in their application.”

Luke Edwards, Sports Systems Development Manager, SIS Group Ltd, said:

 “Having previously received FIH Certification for our factory, we’re thrilled to have joined the FIH Certified Builder Programme as this fits perfectly with our philosophy of manufacturing, constructing and installing only the highest quality hockey fields.”

For more information, visit: www.sispitches.com

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New Synthetic Bowling Green

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New Synthetic Bowling Green: Moe Bowling Club have been subjected to a longstading problem with soggy greens, but new work on the club’s bowling greens are going a long way to solving that issue.

Water-logged playing surfaces will soon be a thing of the past as new synthetic turf is rolled out across the club thanks to funding from the Latrobe Valley Authority and the state government.

Moe Bowling Club president Les Stolarik welcomed the facelift and said it had already raised the spirits of members.

“We realised a few years ago that the way we were going, there wouldn’t be a long-term future for the Moe Bowling Club,” Stolarik said.

“We had to do something a bit different and we’re very thankful for the new greens. It’s been enormous for us.”

Since the club was formed in 1946, the bulk of its spending has come at the cost of annual green-keeping fees, which will be eliminated with the new synthetic greens.

Turf greens also meant the club was forced to shut down for four months every year during winter.

“We looked like we were going to be going out the back door in about five or six years time, we just couldn’t continue pouring money into greenkeepers and not get the results we needed,” member Ian Caines said.

“With these greens, we can eliminate the greenkeeper side of things and instead do things for the club and the members.

“Now that we can be open 12 months a year we can get the community more involved with the club and open it up to the whole of Moe.”

Adding to its new look, the Moe Bowling Club has rebranded this year to join the pride of lions sporting clubs in the area.

“For a long time we have maintained the koala shirts but one of the young members suggested we join the football, netball and cricket clubs in the lions’ den,” Caines said.

“And here we are as the mighty lions. It has made a huge difference for us in terms of recognition from other clubs and the town so these little things help bring the club together and the broader Moe sporting community together.”

The front green is scheduled for completion in early April while works on the back green will begin shortly after.

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New Pitch Renovation Package

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New Pitch Renovation Package: Germinal Amenity has launched an all-in-one seed and fertiliser sports pitch renovation package.  Containing two key elements – Germinal’s A20 Premier Ryesport seed mixture plus an appropriate selection of fertiliser products – A20 Seed & Feed offers groundsmen everything they need in order to renovate their pitches and to create a sustainable playing surface within just six weeks of seeding.

The seed element of the A20 Seed & Feed package provides a combination of four top-performing species of perennial ryegrasses.  Together, these four cultivars create a dense sward with excellent fineness of leaf, a good cleanness of cut and which is exceptionally easy to mow into stripes.  The seed mixture – Germinal’s standard A20 Premier Ryesport mixture – also offers good levels of disease resistance and fantastic post-winter recovery.  The standard seed mixture can also be customised, allowing groundsmen to create their own bespoke specification.

New Pitch Renovation Package

For the fertiliser component of the A20 Seed & Feed package, groundsmen are able to select either a soil or sand based nutrient programme.  A third option, for park pitches and local community pitches, is also available.  All three nutrient programmes are F.A.C.T.S. (Fertiliser Advisers Certification and Training Scheme) approved and have been designed to enable the new sward to achieve the best possible results in terms of seedling establishment and sward development.  Each package contains a selection of phased release fertilisers and advanced soil conditioners which provide the necessary nutrients and trace elements required during the renovated pitch’s growing-in phase.

“The summer pitch renovation season is one of the busiest periods in any groundsman’s calendar,” explains Joe Hendy, Technical Sales Representative for Germinal.  “It can also be an exceptionally stressful time of year with groundsmen anxiously waiting for the renovated pitch to be ready in time for the start of the new playing season.  With that in mind, we have created an all-in-one seed, fertiliser and nutrient advice package to help ease the pressure.”

By providing a complementary package of seed, fertiliser and F.A.C.T.S. based nutrient advice, A20 Seed & Feed makes it easier and simpler for groundsmen to renovate their pitches and to successfully create a well-established and viable playing surface.

“All too often we speak to groundsmen who simply don’t have the time or resources, or in some cases the correct technical knowledge, to develop their own over-seeding and fertiliser programmes.  By following the simple advice laid out in our new A20 Seed & Feed packages, these groundsmen can be confident that they are using the correct rate of the most suitable products at the optimum time, and that they will be giving their pitch the very best chance of going into the new season in prime condition,” Joe adds.

“All three of the A20 Seed & Feed programmes use the very best phased-release fertilisers and soil conditioners from Compo Expert to ensure that every penny invested in pitch renovation works hard and delivers the required results.”

For more information go to www.germinal.com

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Posh Defender Turns Groundsman

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Posh Defender Turns Groundsman: Peterborough United defender Steven Taylor played an extended role in his team’s victory on Tuesday night, by helping to sweep snow off the lines at the ABAX Stadium.

Peterborough were hosting Walsall in a League One clash but heavy snow in the second half meant the pitch was hardly visible.

The Posh were 2-1 up in the 80th minute when the referee halted play to ensure snow could be cleared off the pitch.

And it was former England U21 captain and Newcastle centre-half Steven Taylor who was the hero of the hour.

Taylor was seen desperately shovelling snow to make the lines visable so play could continue.

“Steven Taylor is a hero,” one fan wrote on Twitter.

Another said: “Steven Taylor not only clears the backline he now helps clear the lines on the pitch.”

“So Steven taylor was literally playing the ‘sweeper’ role tonight. #PUFC,” said another supporter.

There was a seven minute break in play as the ground staff and home players brushed the snow on the pitch.

Peterborough eventually ran out 2-1 winners to earn their first victory in eight games.

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