More than
600 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.
This
year’s sell-out event hosted by BBC TV presenter Dan Walker at The Vox, located
in Resorts World at the Birmingham NEC 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.
The
winners of the 2019 IOG Industry Awards are:
IOG Toro Most Promising Sports Turf
Student of the Year
Callum Allsop, Leicester City FC
IOG Rigby Taylor/Top Green Young
Grounds Person of the Year
Nick Pepper, Gloucestershire CCC
IOG Volunteer Sports Grounds Team/Individual of the
Year
Andy
Cambridge, Foxton FC, Cambridgeshire
IOG National Governing Bodies’
Community Sector Sports Club Grounds Team/Individual of the Year
Harborough
Town FC, Leicestershire
The National Governing Bodies of
sport (NGBs) award 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), RFU (Rugby Football Union) and Sport England
IOG AMS Robotics Public Sector Sports Grounds Team of
the Year
Prestige
Grounds Ltd, Wiltshire
IOG Bowling Grounds Team/Individual of the Year
Polly Bowls Club, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
IOG SCH Supplies Best Managed
Artificial Sports Surface of the Year
University of Warwick
IOG Ransomes Environmental/Ecology
Project of the Year
City
Football Academy, Manchester
IOG Headland Amenity Professional
Cricket Grounds Team of the Year
Sussex CCC
IOG CubCadet
INFINICUT Professional Tennis Courts
Grounds Team of the Year
Devonshire Park, Eastbourne
IOG John Deere Professional Horse
Racing Grounds Team of the Year
Warwick Racecourse
IOG Professional Rugby Football League Grounds Team of
the Year
Castleford
Tigers RLFC, West Yorkshire
IOG Compo Expert Professional Rugby Football Union
Grounds Team of the Year
Northampton
Saints RFC
IOG Professional Football Grounds Team of the
Year
(English Leagues 1 & 2, National League, National
League North/South, Scottish Championship & Leagues 1 & 2, Ireland
& Wales Professional Leagues)
Swindon
Town FC
IOG SGL
Professional Football Grounds Team or the Year (Premier League,
Championship and Scottish Premier League)
Tottenham
Hotspur FC
IOG Redexim
Charterhouse/Kubota University/College Grounds Team of the Year
Nottingham University
IOG Growth Products Independent
School Grounds Team of
the Year
Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh
IOG SISGrass International Award
Dean
Gilasbey, ProPitch
IOG Ransomes/DLF Johnsons Alex R
Millar Groundsperson Award – chosen from the outstanding winner across all
award categories
Danny
Negus, Devonshire Park, Eastbourne
IOG GrassMaster Solutions Outstanding Achievement
Awards
Keith
Kent, former head groundsman at RFU Twickenham and Chris Wood England and Wales
Cricket Board pitch inspector.
Commenting,
IOG chief executive Geoff Webb, says: “We’ve enjoyed a glorious year of
professional sport, especially a summer of outstanding cricket, and this has
highlighted the crucial role played by high-class playing surfaces – and,
therefore, also our superb groundscare skills.
“Our
awards, however, also acknowledge the unstinting work of the army of volunteers
who maintain grassroots pitches up and down the country, often on very limited
budgets, to enable players of all abilities and ages to enjoy sport on
well-prepared pitches.
“Yet again
we have seen how fantastic our profession is, and I applaud everyone and thank
them for their efforts in creating playing surfaces that are the envy of the
world.”
The 2019 IOG Industry Awards are sponsored by the AELTC (All
England Lawn Tennis Club), AMS Robotics, Compo Expert, Cub Cadet, DLF, ECB (the
England and Wales Cricket Board), The FA (Football Association), Grassmaster,
Growth Products, John Deere, Kubota, the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), the
Premier League, Ransomes, Redexim Charterhouse, Rigby Taylor, the RFU
(Rugby Football Union), the RFL (Rugby Football League), SCH Supplies, SGL
Lighting, SISGrass, Top Green and Toro.
