Tag Archive for: 3G

GMA takes 3G pitches course online

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GMA takes 3G pitches course online: Following a year of significant growth to its online resources, the Grounds Management Association launches its Level 2 ‘Effective Maintenance of 3G Pitches’ training course.

The online course is designed to help participants understand how to effectively maintain a 3G pitch to provide a safe surface, whilst meeting performance criteria and optimising its longevity. ‘Effective Maintenance of 3G Surfaces’ also helps participants understand the signs when a surface is coming to the end of its life.

GMA takes 3G pitches course online

GMA takes 3G pitches course online

With the role of grounds staff and volunteers diversifying, it is increasingly important for more individuals to understand how to maintain and extend the life of different types of playing surfaces. The course is suitable for both professionals and volunteers with basic experience, as well as others involved in sports facility management who wish to gain a better understanding of the maintenance and upkeep of these surfaces on varying budgets.

The course is available to purchase via the GMA’s website for a member and non-member rate. The association now holds seven online courses and aims to relaunch its Continuing Personal Development programme next year alongside its new website.

With restrictions now easing, the GMA hopes to reopen its face-to-face practical sessions that complement its online resources, such as its online courses and the Grounds Management Toolkit, later this year.

To sign-up to Level 2 ‘Effective Maintenance of 3G Pitches’ visit: https://bit.ly/3fKVzWG

Jason Booth, COO at the GMA commented:

“We have seen increasing pressures on grounds staff and volunteers like never before. Facilities are often understaffed, so groundspeople are expected to understand more about a range of surfaces and offer a helping hand across local networks. Contrary to belief, 3G surfaces are not low maintenance and they require a high level of knowledge to fulfil their lifespan.

“This course compliments our wider learning programme that focusses on grass pitches, helping grounds people gain relevant skills and best practices when dealing with 3G surfaces.”

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New 3G Pitch Vandalised

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New 3G Pitch Vandalised: A new 3G pitch for Lanarkshire schoolkids has been wrecked by vandals.

The ground in Calderbank has been left unplayable and scorched in several places.

One furious local said: “our lovely new sports facility, well used by the community..ruined, and it’s only the 4th of November.”

It’s part of a 25 thousand facilty for local schoolchildren that was only opened last year by North Lanarkshire Council following a programme of fundraising.

Council leader Jim Logue carried out the official opening of the park – for which the budget included funding from the local development programme which is overseen by Airdrie and Villages local area partnership.

It transformed ground which had lain unused for years into a new pitch and running track.

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New 3G Pitch Provides Opportunity

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New 3G Pitch Provides Opportunity: A new third generation (3G) artificial grass pitch (AGP) which was opened at Philip Morant School and College in Essex recently (Monday 11 March) will support nearly 100 women and girls playing competitive football in Essex over the next five years.

The new full-size pitch was made possible thanks to investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government, through their charity, the Football Foundation.

After netting a £498,959 grant from the Football Foundation, work begun on the site in November 2017. The new pitch not only provides the school’s PE Department with a first-class facility, but the local community will also benefit from an all-weather training site for youth development and community projects.

Philip Morant School and College has formed a partnership with Disability4Sport UK to provide soccability and hearing-impaired sessions for the local community on the new pitch. The site will also be used by Essex County FA to deliver coach and referee education courses.

Partner club, Stanway Rovers FC, will focus on establishing three new girls’ teams within the first year of the pitch being in operation, growing to five teams by year five. This will contribute to 98 girls and women starting to play competitive football in Essex – which is one of the County FA’s key focuses.

Scott Holder, Headteacher at Philip Morant School and College, said:“The 3G AGP pitch has improved sport at Philip Morant. Students love the quality of the FIFA Approved Surface, which has led to an increase in the number of young people joining clubs, particularly football.”

“We have also been able to increase the range of sports available throughout the year as the area has floodlights, which means clubs and activities can continue in the winter months.”

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The support of the Premier League, The FA and government enables the Football Foundation to help improve community sports facilities like this one across the country. Their funding has played a key role in delivering this new all-weather pitch in Essex and I am delighted for everyone associated with Philip Morant School and College.

“This is one example we want to make people in Essex aware of, that they have the kind of quality pitches and changing rooms that are taken for granted in other counties. We will continue to support projects nationwide, but we cannot do this on our own, so we are encouraging organisations in the area to join our movement to deliver quality football facilities for people in Essex once and for all.

“Taking part in community sport at any level offers many benefits and rewards, not least the opportunity for people to enjoy themselves and socialise with different members of the community.”

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3G Pitch Enables Buxton FC To Launch Academy

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3G Pitch Enables Buxton FC To Launch Academy: EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Club, Buxton FC have seen their dreams turn into reality with the installation of their new 3G pitch, meaning that in September 2019 they will launch their academy for young aspiring footballers, a feat that would have been near impossible to achieve on their old natural grass pitch.

The club has wanted to set up an academy for many years to facilitate players moving up through the ranks to their first team, producing home grown ‘Buxton’ players. This was paired with the need for increased community participation in the area along with the requirement to reduce the number of cancelled fixtures after having a number of matches that had to be rearranged in the 17-18 season, resulting in not only a loss of revenue on the gate but also from food and beverage match day sales.

3G Pitch Enables Buxton FC To Launch Academy

Playing in the Premier League of the EVO-STIK NPL, Buxton FC are the latest NPL club to select official league pitch partners, GreenFields to install their new 3G pitch. The club now proudly boast one of the highest spec 3G pitches in the country with the same product installed at the likes of Arsenal FC, Charlton Athletic Academy and a number of Scottish Premier League clubs including Hamilton Academical FC and Livingston FC.

Buxton FC made their choice to convert from natural grass to the 3G woven sports turf, GreenFields MX Elite after visiting the 3G pitch installed in Summer 2016, based at fellow NPL club, Hyde United with the same product in situ. The high-tech product is manufactured using patented woven technology resulting in an extremely high tuft bind. This forces the fibres to stand straighter providing a more natural playing experience and visual appearance.

The new pitch which has been operational for just over three months now has received exceptional reviews already from both Buxton FC along with visiting teams. David Hopkins, Chairman at Buxton FC commented: “We are delighted with our new pitch which overnight, alongside the obvious commercial opportunities, allows us to at last fully engage with our local community and already we have been able to partner with Buxton Junior Football Club’s twenty teams, including the ladies’ team. Partnering with Buxton Rugby Club also means we are now able to welcome not only all the football community from Buxton and the surrounding villages, but also the rugby community too. From the grass pitch last year, which we could use at best four hours per week, we now have a facility which enables us to become a real hub for the Buxton community.”

As official pitch partner to the EVO-STIK NPL as well as more recently the EVO-STIK League South, GreenFields have an ongoing relationship with non-league clubs and the leagues themselves with a commitment to providing and advising on surface solutions as well as supporting clubs with all of their natural grass related queries.

3G Pitch Enables Buxton FC To Launch Academy

Paul Milton, Director at GreenFields commented: “Working with Buxton this Summer and on an ongoing basis sums up for me what GreenFields is all about. We aim to help and work with non-league clubs throughout the country with an emphasis on building long term relationships post installation. Now that the pitch is complete we will work with Buxton FC to support them with sponsorship as well as carrying out essential quarterly maintenance and being a constant point of contact for any pitch related queries. We look forward to watching how the club grows after the addition of the 3G pitch and to a long partnership between us.”

The completed pitch has been tested to both FIFA Quality and World Rugby performance standards as the pitch has been designed as a dual use facility to accommodate rugby as well as football to enable usage from local club, Buxton RFU.

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Hove Haven Gets Upgraded 3G

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Hove Haven Gets Upgraded 3G: A haven for dog walkers, runners, playing kids and sports players in Hove has had its football pitch upgraded.

Brighton & Hove City Council appointed Essex-based ETC Sports Surfaces to the 70x31m pitch reconstruction at Hove Park, East Sussex.

The project consisted of the resurfacing of an existing Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) with a modern 3G artificial grass surface, fencing, pitch divider, sports equipment & associated works.

AGPs are commonly Astroturf, but ETC combine this surface with their 3G surface to make a more durable pitch that is all-weather.

ETC worked alongside Desso Sports UK, who supplied the iQ3 50 artificial grass, while Zaun Ltd manufactured and provided 225m of its Duo8 Super Rebound sports fencing system plus two pairs of double gates and one single leaf pedestrian gate.

Duo8 Super Rebound forms a robust play area that is highly durable, low maintenance and ‘graffiti-proof’, with great rebound properties similar to a wall and rubber inserts between panels and posts to keep ‘rattle’ during play to a minimum.

Hove Park is popular with local residents, dog walkers and runners.  The park covers almost 40 acres and features a mix of large areas of open grass, mature trees, flower beds and recreational facilities.

At the eastern edge of the Park is the ‘Fingermaze’, a piece of public sculpture carved into the park and lined with stone and lime mortar.  The Fingermaze is a giant fingerprint which incorporates a Cretan labyrinth within its whirling design.

The 3G football surface is growing in popularity among clubs and schools as one of the best synthetic pitches.

3G pitches are split into two broad varieties: the dynamic base, which is a hardwearing, cost-effective choice of synthetic grass surface; or the non-abrasive engineered base, considered the optimum 3G pitch with the ideal look, feel and endurance, providing the right shock and slide performance. A major advantage of modern all-weather artificial pitches is their adaptability.

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