Leicester City FC Opens Doors To Future Grounds Professionals
Local school pupils hosted
Leicester City FC has hosted local school pupils at its training ground to showcase career opportunities in sports turf and grounds management as part of the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) NextGen programme.
The Schools into Stadia event gave students a behind-the-scenes look at the work involved in maintaining elite sporting surfaces, with a guided tour of the club’s training ground and Sports Turf Academy facilities.
Practical workshops covered pitch preparation, turf science, equipment maintenance and grounds operations, while pupils also learned about routes into the profession through apprenticeships, further education, volunteering and work experience.
Flynn Good, first assistant pitch manager at Leicester City FC and chair of the GMA NextGen Board, said, “Grounds management is a rewarding, skilled and innovative profession that plays a critical role in every sporting experience, yet many young people are unaware it exists as a career option.”
He added that bringing students into professional sporting environments helped them meet industry professionals and understand the opportunities available.
The event concluded with a pitch-and-putt competition, giving pupils a further opportunity to engage with the industry.
Schools into Stadia is part of the GMA NextGen programme, which aims to raise awareness of careers in sports turf and grounds management by connecting young people with employers, industry experts and real-world working environments.
