Tag Archive for: All-female

All-Female Grounds Team Debuts at Twickenham

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All-Female Grounds Team Debuts at Twickenham: As the final whistle blows on an unforgettable Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, Allianz Stadium celebrates a landmark moment – the debut of its first all-female grounds team.

Brought together by the GMA from sporting institutions across the UK, this trailblazing group of professionals have not only upheld the highest standards of pitch care but also championed greater visibility for women in turf management.

All-Female Grounds Team Debuts at Twickenham

All-Female Grounds Team Debuts at Twickenham

From early morning preparations to post-match recovery, their expertise and teamwork have been truly inspiring. Their presence on the pitch marks a powerful step forward in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

The GMA is proud to support and spotlight the women who are helping shape the future of grounds management – one blade of grass at a time. This wrap-up video captures their journey, their impact and the legacy they’re building for generations to come.

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All-female grounds team make history

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All-female grounds team make history: For the second time in as many years, history will be made on the pitch, but by the team preparing it.

On Saturday 27 September, an all-female team of 15 grounds professionals will take charge of the pitch at Allianz Stadium ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final and bronze medal match. It marks the first time in rugby history that a women-only grounds team has prepared the surface for a showpiece global final.

All-female grounds team make history

All-female grounds team make history

Brought together by the Grounds Management Association (GMA), along with England Rugby and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the 15 behind the 15 will feature pioneering pitch professionals and volunteers from some of sport’s most iconic venues, from Wimbledon and Wembley to Lord’s, Leicester Tigers, UK Ryder Cup Venue, The Belfry and Ipswich Town FC – as well as leading schools and colleges.

The landmark initiative aims to spotlight female talent in grounds management and inspire more women to consider careers in the sector. It follows the landmark moment at the Emirates Stadium in March 2024, when the first-ever all-female grounds team prepared the pitch for Arsenal vs Tottenham in the Women’s Super League.

The move shines a light on both opportunity and challenge in the sector. The latest GMA industry data shows 77.5% of head grounds managers feel recruitment is the biggest challenge facing the industry. Almost half of groundspeople are aged 45–64, and around 1,500 retire every year. Women are key to closing the employment gap but currently make up less than 10% of the professional workforce.

Head of Grounds at Allianz Stadium Jim Buttar, says: “Encouraging more women to consider a career in grounds management is so important and where better to profile the profession than at Allianz Stadium during the Rugby World Cup Final.

“We are really pleased to be working with the Grounds Management Association and Women’s Rugby World Cup to bring in an all-female team for the final. Our team is really looking forward to meeting the 15 highly skilled women involved and supporting them as they prepare the pitch for the teams.”

The all-female grounds team is made up of:

  • Georgia Edge, All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon
  • Liddy Ford, Wembley Stadium
  • Beth Gibbs, Wellington School
  • Cheryl Hill, Leicester Tigers
  • Rachel Hunter-Worrell, Queen Ethelburga’s York
  • Jessica Jackson, Wellington College
  • Meg Lay, Lord’s Cricket Ground
  • Pippa Lewis, Haberdashers Boys School
  • Naquita Lloyd-Edwards, Weymouth and Portland Rugby Club
  • Emma Lynch, Lord’s Cricket Ground
  • Jasmine Nicholls, Yorkshire County Cricket
  • Anna Nilsson, Brabazon Golf Course at The Belfry
  • Zibby Parker, Ipswich Town FC and Essex County Cricket Club
  • Lucy Rogers, Kings Lynn Golf Club
  • Sofia Sousa, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Jennifer Carter, Director of Communications and Marketing at the GMA , said: “Everyone involved is proud to be part of history and looking forward to creating the perfect pitch for the showpiece matches.

“Last year we put women in grounds management on a national stage. Now, we’re taking this a step further, showcasing their skills and leadership on a global scale with the view to encouraging more people to consider in the industry.

“These females are fantastic role models – not only for their peers in the industry but for the next generation of women aspiring to work in sport and grounds.

“As a female myself having worked in the sports industry for many years, I know first-hand the perceptions and assumptions that are often made in a male dominated industry – we are here to break down barriers.”

Jennifer adds: “Groundspeople make sport possible, from grassroots games to the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final. It’s a fantastic career offering unique opportunities – like working at world-class venues such as Allianz Stadium.”

The event is part of the wider work the GMA is doing to secure the future of the industry. This includes the NextGen team, young ambassadors inspiring the next generation of groundspeople, and a new online hub to help people take their first steps in the sector.

To find out more about careers in grounds management, visit www.thegma.org.uk/what/support-the-sector/get-into-the-industry/

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All-female Grounds Team to Take Centre Stage

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All-female Grounds Team to Take Centre Stage: This September, a landmark moment for Rugby will take place at the Twickenham Stadium as an all-female team of grounds professionals will prepare the pitch for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Final and Bronze Final, marking a historic first for the sport.

Led by the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) NextGen group, alongside England Rugby and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the initiative aims to champion female representation in the sector and promote the diverse career pathways that grounds management has to offer.

All-female Grounds Team to Take Centre Stage

All-female Grounds Team to Take Centre Stage

Applications are now open for women working in the industry to join the 15-strong matchday team. These professionals will be responsible for managing the playing surface in the lead-up to, and during, two of the most high-profile fixtures in the women’s rugby calendar – both broadcast live on the BBC on Saturday 27 September 2025.

With women still underrepresented in the grounds management sector – making up less than 10% of the professional workforce – this initiative directly tackles the need for greater visibility, inclusion and long-term workforce sustainability.

Jim Buttar, Head of Grounds and Technical Operations at Twickenham Stadium, and GMA Board Member said: “We’re really proud to be hosting this initiative at Twickenham Stadium and to support the team delivering the pitch for such a major occasion. It’s no secret that our industry needs greater visibility and diversity, especially around female representation, so to see an all-female grounds team leading on one of rugby’s biggest stages will be a huge step forward. It sends a clear message about the opportunities that exist in grounds management, and we’re excited to play a part in that.”

It builds on the momentum of recent GMA initiatives designed to spotlight including the all-female grounds team that prepared the pitch at the Emirates Stadium for the Women’s Super League North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham in March 2024.

Geoff Webb, CEO of the leading membership organisation representing grounds personnel in the UK, the Grounds Management Association, says: “We’re incredibly proud to work with England Rugby and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 to champion visibility and representation of our industry and the career opportunities that it presents. With women’s sport growing rapidly, it’s time the teams behind the scenes reflect that progress too. We want this to inspire more opportunities for women to consider careers in grounds management and to increase awareness of what a great opportunity a career in sports turf management offers, and to see that anything is possible.”

The opportunity is open to women across the sector with relevant experience, and successful applicants will take part in pre-event training and preparation ahead of matchday.

If you’re working in grounds care and want to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime moment, register your interest here. 

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All-female grounds team revel in derby delight

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All-female grounds team revel in derby delight: Last weekend, history was made for the grounds management industry. For the first time in Football, an all-female grounds team prepared the pitch at the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal vs Tottenham in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Ahead of International Women’s Day, a sold-out crowd of over 60,000 fans flooded into the Emirates Stadium to watch the game, making it the highest attendance of a women’s domestic football match in the UK. It was also the most-attended sports fixture in London that weekend, including Premier League games, putting the grounds management industry firmly in the spotlight, highlighting the vital role of grounds staff in making sport possible.

All-female grounds team revel in derby delight

All-female grounds team revel in derby delight

Not only was history made off the pitch but also on the pitch, by the grounds team who prepared it. Thirteen trailblazing women from various grounds management settings, from cricket and football to educational facilities, worked hard over the days leading up to the match to prepare the pitch.

With women making up less than 2% of the grounds management industry, the all-female grounds team’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed and received praise from across the sporting world, with support shared by Lionesses legends, Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo and Beth Mead amongst many others, as well as widespread media coverage.

This historic moment was the result of collaboration between the Women’s Super League, Arsenal FC, the Grounds Management Association and Women in Football, and put women in grounds management at the centre of one of the greatest sporting stages in the country.

Leading the GMA’s involvement in the project, Director of Communications, Jennifer Carter was proud of the day:

“To see a team of thirteen experienced and talented women prepare the iconic Emirates Stadium pitch in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators and viewers across the UK, was a highly significant moment in the GMA and grounds management industry’s history.

“The lack of visibility of women in this field remains a significant barrier, but we’re confident that moments like these, and more in the future, will be pivotal in convincing more young people, especially females, to explore this promising career path. Those who took part are incredible ambassadors for the industry, and I have no doubt that their work will have inspired many and shed light on the grounds management profession.

“We’re hugely grateful for our partners at Arsenal, the WSL and Women in Football for working with us to make this happen and we’re immensely proud of the thirteen inspirational grounds women.”

Vinai Venkatesham, Arsenal’s Chief Executive, was full of praise for the grounds team’s efforts:

“This is a celebration of what’s been achieved for women in sport, but also serves as a reminder of the work we need to do together to ensure more young girls are encouraged to break into the game. It’s important we continue to build on these moments to inspire the next generation and accelerate the sustainable growth of the game.”

The Grounds Management Association is encouraging sports fans to share their appreciation for grounds staff during #GroundsWeek, the association’s annual awareness week, from 18 – 24 March 2024. For more information about #GroundsWeek and how to support it, visit: thegma.org.uk/groundsweek.

If you’re interested in working in grounds management, you can find out more about careers and training at thegma.org.uk/learning.

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