TurfPro editor, Laurence Gale writes:
One of the biggest challenges our industry faces in the coming years will be inspiring the next generation of turf professionals to join our sector. We desperately need to start finding ways to encourage more people to come and work in this diverse, international industry.
To help start this process, I have asked a number of our leading professionals to write a piece about how they came to work in this industry and the opportunities it has given them.
Vic Demain - Head groundsman at Durham CCC
Durham's team. From left: Vic Demain, Simon Harvey, Tom Wilson, Ben Hall & Mark Patterson.
Tell us about yourself?
I'm Vic Demain, current head groundsman at Durham Cricket. I have previously worked at all levels from club volunteer, private estate, school, contractor, premier league club/county outground, county headquarters and international.
Who or what inspired you to take up your career?
I started my working life as a painter and decorator, which I did for some twenty years, before an opportunity came up to become cricket manager at a National Trust venue. There was no one individual who inspired me, but my love of the game of cricket was the driving factor. My qualifications were all in coaching. I do however thank our groundsman at Challow & Childrey CC who taught me that our job was to put on cricket and not to call it off.
Which individuals have inspired you or helped you develop professionally?
I have no qualifications as a groundsman and when I started it was pre-internet times, so if you wanted to learn, you sought out the old boys at clubs and asked their advice. Don Winfield, Long Marston CC taught me all about pride in the job. Richard Bryce, owner of Sports Ground Services Milton Keynes, taught me how to graft for a living. Whilst the whole package came from Simon Harvey, who in 2008 came from New Zealand to assist me in my role at Uxbridge CC for one season. At the time Simon was only twenty years old, but his knowledge, attitude and standards were second to none. In 2019 Simon came over to Durham for a couple of weeks to help with the ICC World Cup and once again we worked seamlessly.
Emirates Riverside ready for a World Cup fixture
What three pieces of machinery or innovations have in your opinion helped drive our industry forward or helped make your job easier?
At Trent Bridge, I was fortunate enough to experience working with a hover cover and in my eyes, they are the bee's knees. Scarification has really moved on in the last few years and a lot of clubs are now hiring in the Koro which is a game changer from some of the kit which I started out with. However, for all that the new kit is great, I still love my old Sisis Lawnman, which is used daily during the summer months.
What concerns do you have for the future of our industry?
Being an older groundsman, I fear that technology is taking over too rapidly. As a kid, I grew up on a farm where there must have been thirty workers. Now that farm, if it were still going, would probably operate with a couple of workers, due to bigger machinery all controlled by GPS. Tractors are being programmed by computers, field markings and cutting done by robots. Mowers are being adjusted by mobile phones. The need for a head groundsman will be replaced by a spotty geek!
How do you think we can entice the next generation of industry professionals to come and work in this industry?
I recently did a survey which showed me that kids don't look out of the school window and dream of being a groundsman. Most people come into the industry by accident or as a result of taking a summer job whilst studying and never leaving. We at Durham had a nightmare a couple of years ago trying to get staff following a couple dropping out. After much time wasting, we encouraged an ex-employee Ben Hall to return and took on Tom Wilson, both of whom have brought a great attitude and with Mark Patterson, who has been here for over twenty years, we now have the strongest team of my tenure.
Simon & Vic scrubbing up a pitch before the England v NZ game
How have the events of 2020 impacted on your job and how would you like to see the government support our industry?
Covid has no doubt had a major impact on many industries across the country, however, I believe that we have been fairly lucky. We haven't seen too many redundancies yet, but of course most people have experienced furlough and had pay cuts. Also, most budgets have been reduced, but I think most people have got through it and will have learnt another life lesson..
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Phil Sharples Independent Sports Turf Consultant
Tell us about yourself?
I have been in the industry since I was 18 and have 30+ years experience within it. I started in golf, then went to sports turf. Many years doing the job, 10 years lecturing and many more years consulting and advising. Presently I am sub-contracted to the STRI and working as the lead consultant developing a horse racing track in Saudi Arabia. For the past 11 years, I have worked out of the UK, mainly in the Eurasia Region. Currently I am working on a turf project in Saudi Arabia
Who or what inspired you to take up your career?
There really was no one that inspired me. It all came from within. I knew I wanted a job in nature and the outdoors and once I found my first role on a golf course in London, my path was set. I left the golf club 4 years to pursue a full time education in sports turf management to satisfy my thirst for knowledge. Things rapidly progressed from there.
Which individuals have inspired you or helped you develop professionally?
I have met many people along the way that I have learnt from, that is for sure, but, there is no one that inspired me to develop, as I mentioned above, the inspiration came from within and i have always pushed myself to learn and do more. The best way to develop, is to get out there and gain experience Self motivation is a key attribute to everything in life. There is something to learn everyday and also something to pass on to others each day.
What machinery or innovations have in your opinion helped drive our industry forward or helped make your job easier?
One of the best innovations for me must the development of portable volumetric water content devices. They certainly helped take the guess work out of water application and management, allowed for more efficient use of the resource and prevent a number of subsequent issues occurring. Secondly it must be grow lighting. Giving the ability to recover a pitch in minimal time and balance growth and development of the plant that are usually placed in situations not conducive to it.
What concerns do you have for the future of our industry?
I feel the sports turf industry is set to grow even bigger than it is now. Society is rapidly focussing on leisure time and fitness and the desire for watching sports on television continues to grow on a yearly basis. Surfaces are vital for sport as it cannot be played without them. I cannot see the sports turf industry retracting, only growing. The advent of television has created the desire for others to want similar, perfect, safe and visually attractive playing surfaces that can only be developed and maintained with a specific knowledge.
How do you think we can entice the next generation of industry professionals to come and work in this industry?
The target must be toward those people looking for an alternative to office based roles and those with a keen thirst for how things work and grow. I also feel that the true nature of the work grounds managers, ground workers, consultants and advisors is not properly put across to the general public. The role of the grounds manager is still seen as a grass cutter, this could not be further from the truth.
How have the events of 2020 impacted on your job and how would you like to see the government support our industry?
Covid delayed things for me by 5 months. Specifically as no one was sure as to what would happen next and sport was being cancelled. I did not see it as a negative though! It was time to move forward and onto new things and I saw it as a push in the right direction and a time to reflect. Everything in life was put on hold, so we were all in the same boat in this regard.
As governments start to push increasing healthiness of citizens and encouraging exercise and sport, the requirement for playing surfaces will grow. The extra demand put on these will require a specific management planning in order to maintain standards. Extra funding, further research projects and continued development of facilities is something that needs looking into and managing further.