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INTERVIEW
Wisdom of the wicket Chris Westbrook heads up a team of volunteer groundsmen looking after the cricket pitch for Hursley Park CC in Hampshire. As well as dedicating his free time to maintaining and improving the ground, Chris has taken on IOG training so that he is now qualified to deliver courses himself
By Dan Prest IOG head of member services
How long have you been in groundscare? I have been involved in groundsmanship for 42 years, combining this with a career as a chartered engineer and co-founder of a structural engineering company. Our club captain was away on a residential course and I volunteered, without any experience, to prepare the pitch for the semi-final of the National Village Competition between Hursley Park CC and Gowerton. More than 4,000 people witnessed our defeat but the consensus of opinion by the players of both sides was that the pitch played well. I have been committed to the upkeep of the ground ever since. What excites you about the role? I am excited by the constant quest for improvement in the playing surfaces and assisting others to be able to do likewise; usually with limited resources. How important is education for volunteers? Although my helpers and I are all volunteers, it is important we have a basic knowledge so we are aware of the need for the operations we undertake and machinery we use. The chance to improve our education through courses, meeting like folk and demonstrations is a vital part of our training. In the quest for knowledge I attended residential, day and evening courses and ultimately followed the IOG educational path that gave me the chance to attain qualifications through the examinations. The academic achievements and experience gained at the cricket club enable me to develop and demonstrate my practical skills and deliver them with confidence to others. What words of wisdom would you give young players who'd like to help out? Encouraging young players to assist in the preparation of the ground teaches them not only to respect the facility and the grounds staff but also
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50 THE GROUNDSMAN October 2017
provides them with an insight into how the pitches will perform and the influence the weather can make in the preparation and reaction of the surface. What’s your favourite tip to share? Time is precious: “It’s not the hours you put in – it’s what you put into the hours.”
IN THE SHED The team at Hursley Park CC keeps a range of equipment on hand to keep the ground in good playing condition. “The majority of our machinery is second-hand,” says Chris. “There is a lot more than we need – but who knows when it may come in handy!” He points out that “all the mechanical items are security marked, photographed and the serial numbers logged. The latter information is essential to the police and insurers in the event of theft”. The items in frequent use are: Four cylinder mowers Four rotary mowers Two gang mowers Additional items: A scarifier An auto roller and 10ft wide outfield roller An outfield slitter A 22hp truck, 25hp tractor Seeder Other items in use include: Drag mat, chain harrow, cylinder spreader, sarel spiker, mole plough, lutes and various hand tools.
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Institute of Groundsmanship
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