GMA LAUNCHES ONLINE TOOLKIT

The Grounds Management Association (GMA) has launched its online ‘Grounds Management Toolkit’, a training resource aimed to support volunteers maintaining football, cricket, rugby league and rugby union pitches.

The Association says the new website consolidates information from the Sport England ‘Groundsmanship’ website and has reshaped some of its written content into short videos and easy-to-digest seasonal maintenance guides.
 
By relaunching the website, the GMA say they aim to continue increasing the skills and capabilities of practicing and future grounds volunteers. The resources also help the general public to engage further with common practices involved in grounds maintenance and to understand how to help get pitches ready for players across their community.
 
The ‘Grounds Management Toolkit’ follows the launch of the GMA’s Level 1 and Level 2 online training courses, with modules that cover the basic grounds maintenance tasks required at grassroots level.
 
With face-to-face classroom training currently on hold due to restrictions, the GMA say they are developing their digital capabilities to keep its member community, and the wider public, educated and informed on key issues relating to grounds management. 
 
Jason Booth, Chief Operating Officer of the GMA, said, “We’re committed to providing the best possible tools across all levels so that grounds management tasks are consistently completed to a high standard, aligning with the Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme (GaNTIP) strategy that is delivered in partnership with the NGBs.
 
“We know that volunteers can sometimes only offer a few hours of their time each week, or that some local clubs struggle to find regular grounds volunteers. Without pitches, there is no sport so it could mean that millions of children and adults could miss out on physical activity.
 
“We’re really grateful for Sport England’s support in helping us deliver the ‘Grounds Management Toolkit’, giving us the opportunity to make this resource free for all.”