Almost 700 of the UK’s and Europe’s leading groundscare experts from both the professional and volunteer sector, as well as dignitaries from the governing bodies of sport and influential sports administrators, have honoured the expertise, dedication and passion of the grounds profession at the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) annual Industry Awards.
Now in its ninth year, the sell-out event at the National Conference Centre, within the National Motorcycle Museum and hosted by talkSPORT radio presenter Mark Saggers, recognised leadership, innovation and outstanding achievement across every aspect of groundscare – from grassroots pitches to professional stadia.
The prestigious awards ceremony also celebrated the quality standards of groundscare achieved in public and private sports venues, and highlighted the progress of young/student grounds professionals as well as entrants’ environmental considerations.
From a record-breaking entry, the winners of the 2017 IOG Industry Awards are:
Bowling Greenkeeper/Team of the Year - Potters Bar Bowls Club, Hertfordshire
Best Maintained Artificial Pitch of the Year - Highfields Sports Complex - The University of Nottingham
Ransomes Environmental/Innovative Project of the Year - Forest Green Rovers FC
Toro Most Promising Sports Turf Student of the Year - Tara Massey, Manchester City FC
Redexim Charterhouse/Kubota Volunteer Sports Groundsman/Team of the Year - Philip Swann from the Bridge Trust Society, Birmingham
National Governing Bodies Grassroots Sports Grounds Team of the Year - NPL Sports Club, Teddington, Middlesex.
This category is co-sponsored by the AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club), ECB (the England and Wales Cricket Board), The FA (Football Association), The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), the Premier League, the RFL (Rugby Football League) and the RFU (Rugby Football Union).
Headland Amenity Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year - Durham CCC
CubCadet Infinicut Professional Tennis Grounds Team of the Year - Nottingham Tennis Centre.
SGL Professional Football Grounds Team or the Year (Premier League, Championship and Scottish Premier League) - Leicester City FC
SISGrass Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year (English Leagues 1 & 2, National, National North/South, Scottish Championship & Leagues 1 & 2, Ireland & Wales Professional Leagues) - Bury FC, Greater Manchester
John Deere Professional Horse Racing Grounds Team of the Year - Ripon Racecourse
Mansfield Sand Professional Rugby Football League Grounds Team of the Year - Castleford Tigers, West Yorkshire
GrassMaster Professional Rugby Football Union Grounds Team of the Year - Yorkshire Carnegie (Leeds Rugby)
National Governing Bodies Professional Sports Grounds Team of the Year - Manchester City FC
This category co-sponsored by the AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club), ECB (the England and Wales Cricket Board), The FA (Football Association), The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), the Premier League, the RFL (Rugby Football League) and the RFU (Rugby Football Union).
Rigby Taylor/Top Green Young Groundsman of the Year - James Wood, Manchester City FC
Growth Products Independent School/University/College Grounds Team of the Year - University of Surrey
Private Members Sports Club Grounds Team of the Year - The Queen's Club, London
Contractor of the Year - Premier Pitches, Sheffield
International Ambassador of the Year - Simon Gumbrill, Stadium Grow Lighting
Special Recognition Award (Professional Category) - Paul Burgess, Real Madrid C.F.
Special Recognition Award (Volunteer Category) - Peter Green, Honley Cricket Club, Holmfirth, Huddersfield
The Alex R Millar Ransomes/DLF Johnsons Groundsman of the Year (acknowledging the role of an individual groundsman from within all the relevant professional grounds team award categories) - Vic Demain, Durham CCC
Lifetime/Outstanding Achievement - Martin Ford. Martin has for the past 11 years worked with England & Wales Cricket Board to drive improvements in pitch quality across the recreational game.
The 2017 IOG Industry Awards are sponsored by the AELTC, CubCadet Infinicut, DLF, ECB, The FA, GrassMaster, Growth Products, Headland Amenity, John Deere, Johnsons Seeds, Kubota, the LTA, Mansfield Sand, the Premier League, Ransomes, Redexim Charterhouse, the RFL, the RFU, Rigby Taylor, SGL, SISGrass, Toro and Top Green.
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