Getting to Know the Turf Industry WITH ALEX JENSEN
TIO stadium Alex Jensen is Head Grounds Curator at TIO Stadium and others in Darwin (Former Suncorp Groundsmen) Some Background •
2013 Qld STA graduate of the year
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The Ohio State University Global Turf Program (TOP) participant
machinery as well as being able to visit many major football stadiums and training venues. Best of all getting to talk turf with some of the best groundsman and greenkeepers in the UK and Europe.
From Alex Jensen
On arrival to Australia I started working with Nigel Taylor at Airgronomics, where we did contracting work the Air2g2. A tough job trying to introduce a new piece of equipment into the turf industry in Australia. I spent a year working there before a full-time job opportunity came up at Suncorp stadium which I pursued. In October of 2017 I was awarded the job at Suncorp stadium to be the third full-time groundsman. Working at Suncorp I was able to be a part of a team that obviously maintained a sports field to the highest of standards. I spent about 2 and a half years working there before a job opportunity came up in Darwin to be a head grounds curator.
From there as a part of the famous Ohio program I was sent to the UK to work with Campey Turf Care systems. A sports turf machinery dealer for many top sporting clubs in the world. I spent 5 months there working with all types of tractors and
In March of 2020 I moved to Darwin to be the grounds curator for a company called SterlingNT. Sterling have recently taken over the contract for several stadiums in Darwin including TIO Stadium, Warren Park and Larrakia Park (Darwin football stadium).
Alex Jensen has been working in the turf industry for about 8 years. Mr Jensen started his apprenticeship in sports turf management in 2012 while working for the Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association (BMTA) at Whites Hill Reserve for 4 years. During this time, Mr Jensen spent 2 years as an apprentice before being promoted to Head Grounds Manager. While at BMTA, Mr Jensen was also awarded the 2013 Qld STA graduate of the year.
The major fields here being TIO which hosts major games including NRL, AFL and international cricket. TIO Stadium was opened in 1991 and holds a capacity of 12,500 people which makes it the largest stadium in the Northern Territory. It holds 2 fields. The main field which is Legend couch and the 2nd field being a mix of green and blue couch and also carpet grass. Warren Park is a specialty-built rugby league venue which opened in May of 2019. It hosts 3 fields. All 3 fields being green leaf park couch. It has a 1250 seat grandstand and grass hills which boost the capacity to 10,000. Finally, Larrakia park or Darwin football stadium. Opened in 2007 it provides Darwin with an international standard soccer facility. It has 2 fields which are both Empire Zoysia. It has a max capacity of 6,000. Coming from Suncorp stadium and now being in a leading role looking after about 10 hectares of sports fields my job looks a lot different. Going from 1 field to 8 fields while being the only greenkeeper on site my work is spread out a lot more. However, when it comes to the maintenance of TIO it is very similar to Suncorp being a sand-
THE TURF INDUSTRY WITH ALEX JENSEN
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