MELBOURNE 2016 MELBOURNE 2016
FUTURE LEADERS OF THE INDUSTRY
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very year the Australian Turfgrass Conference recognises the industry’s outstanding turf apprentices. Each state superintendent association and Sports Turf Association conducts its own graduate award programme with the winners going on to represent their state in the final of the AGCSA Graduate of the Year Award and National Sports Turf Graduate of the Year Award. Both awards are proudly presented in partnership with AGCSA Platinum Partner Toro Australia which provides the winners with a once in a lifetime education opportunity. Being nominated for AGCSA Graduate of the Year carries a high level of credibility and as reward for getting to the national final the state finalists receive
complimentary registration to attend the 32nd Australian Turfgrass Conference. Judging takes place on the eve of the conference and the finalists are required to give a 15 minute presentation to an independent panel of three judges before being asked a series of general and turf management questions. The winning graduate will be enrolled in the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Winter School for Turf Managers in the US. All education, travel, accommodation and living expenses will be paid during this eight-week period, during which time they will also attend the Golf Industry Show and visit various Toro facilities across the US. The AGCSA, together with the STA, congratulate the following finalists:
2016 AGCSA GRADUATE OF THE YEAR GCSAQ Ashley Hill Arundel Hills Golf Club 2015 GCSAQ Apprentice of the Year Hill finds himself at the top of his class after completing four years of training to obtain his Certificate III in Sports Turf Management. He has applied himself at three distinctly different golf course facilities to gain a vast variety of skills required to be a successful young turf manager. With glowing references from his previous and current superintendent mentors, this aspiring young superintendent not only applies himself on the golf course but also in the classroom. Gaining five credits and four distinctions, it comes as no surprise he was also nominated for his academic achievements, initiative and task leadership.
GCSAWA Steve Lindley Meadow Springs G&CC Mature age apprentice Lindley (32) currently holds the dual role of assistant superintendent and mechanic at Meadow Springs Golf and Country Club in Perth. Lindley initially started at the club in February 2013 as the club’s mechanic at which time he also signed up to take on apprenticeship through Challenger TAFE. In January 2015 he stepped up into the assistant’s role while still undertaking his studies as well as the mechanic’s role. Prior to joining Meadow Springs, Lindley had a successful career within broadacre agriculture including seven years as a leading farmhand on a large broadacre cropping programme in the eastern Wheatbelt of WA. He then progressed into farm management working within the mid-West and then the northern Wheatbelt. 46
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NSWGCSA Mitchell Gibbs Bankstown Golf Club The Vince Church Award for NSWGCSA Apprentice of the Year is always hotly contested and this year it was Gibbs who earned the right to represent his state in the national final. Currently an apprentice greenkeeper at Bankstown Golf Club, Gibbs initially started in the parks and gardens industry before taking on sports turf management thanks to the encouragement of a family friend involved in the irrigation sector. During his time at Bankstown Gibbs has been involved in all aspects of course maintenance and has a real interest in the irrigation side of things which he hopes to purse further along his career.
SAGCSA Keenan Hutchings The Grange Golf Club Hutchings started as a trainee with The Grange Golf Club in November 2012 after the completion of his schooling at Millicent, SA, having identified the turf industry as a career path that he wanted to follow and one he believed he would be successful in. His interest in greenkeeping began through playing golf and also through his father being the course superintendent at Millicent Golf Club at that time. Hutchings’ passion for the turf industry was evident from day one of his traineeship and has continued throughout his training, where he achieved very good results academically and developed his skills to a very high standard. His work ethic and willingness to learn have been strengths and have seen Hutchings develop as a skilled and dependable member of the team at The Grange.
STA ACT Caleb Swinbourn Complete Turf & Landscape One of the first state finalists to be announced, STA ACT Living Turf Graduate of the Year Swinbourn is currently employed by Complete Turf and Landscape and undertook his apprenticeship at Capital Public Golf Club in Canberra. The 22-year-old has history on his side with graduates from the nation’s capital excelling in the national award over the years. He will be aiming to become the territory’s third winner in four years, emulating the feats of last year’s winner Alex Smith and 2013 victor Luke Jorgensen.
TGCSA Trent Le Rossignol Tasmania Golf Club Twenty-four-year-old Le Rossignol is currently a qualified greenkeeper at Tasmania Golf Club under long-serving course superintendent Danny Gilligan. During his time at Tasmania he has been involved in preparing the course for the 2013 Australian Men’s Interstate