Briggs & Stratton has widened the search in its Pitch to Win competition.
Previously the outdoor equipment petrol engine manufacturer focused its search on finding the football pitch in most need of a makeover. This year however it is opening the field to include rugby and cricket pitches too, and subsequently has tripled the prize fund.
Clubs from the three sports will battle it out in each category to be in with a chance of winning a £3,000 pitch makeover. Then an overall winner will be chosen to receive an additional £1,000 towards their renovation. Those clubs who come second will receive £500, while third placed clubs will get £250 for their club kitty. All nine winning teams will receive a new kit and pitch side sponsorship.
The increased prize fund is not the only change for Pitch to Win. For the 2014/2015 search, Briggs & Stratton has joined forces with the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) in a bid to help improve the quality of turf pitches at a grassroots level. The IOG will help judge the pitches to choose the team most in need of help and will provide the winners with expert advice and a technical evaluation report on how best to maintain their pitch in the future.
Ian Small, UK sales and marketing manager at Briggs & Stratton, commented: "Pitch to Win proved to be incredibly successful last time around and we helped a fantastic football team who really were at the heart of their local community. But football clubs aren't the only ones that struggle so this year we wanted to involve more sports. The IOG has a great reputation for the work it does to promote the importance and benefits of natural turf, and it's great to be able to work with them."
The IOG is the leading professional membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK.
Chris Gray, head of education at the IOG, said: "Pitch to Win is the perfect partner for the IOG. Both have the same aims – to improve playing facilities for future generations. We're looking forward to seeing the entries and helping those in need."
Pitch to Win is open to all amateur football, rugby league or cricket teams in Britain with an under 18s team, both boys and girls. To enter simply visit
www.pitchtowin.org.uk, complete the entry form and submit some photos. More information can be found on the competition's Twitter page @pitch_towin.
Teams have until 31 March 2015 to enter.
