Campey Turf Care Systems has supplied an Imants Shockwave to sports turf contractors Cropper Grounds Maintenance to improve the sports pitches at hundreds of schools.

Tim Dawson runs Cropper Grounds Maintenance based in Stoke on Trent – and is responsible for looking after the sports pitches for 300 schools in the Staffordshire and Cheshire area.

Due to economic pressures our educational authorities are required to make full use of their sports facilities and this includes maximising the use of sports fields. As well as pupils putting in a full daily curriculum of sporting activities, many schools now hire out their facilities to local leagues, youth organisations and private clubs. Whether its rugby, football, cricket or hockey.

This extended usage puts an enormous burden on the turf and consequently the people in charge of maintenance have to find ways of combatting the additional wear and tear.

“It’s never been an easy task” explains Tim, “but extended use of the pitches has become so common now, we can see the effect it is having on the turf and have to find a way of repairing it. There is more compaction, significantly more damage to the grass in the goal mouths and six yard areas. And the general issue of poor drainage will cause major problems, come the winter. It’s no-longer just about mowing the grass.”

In addition to all the difficulties associated with the number of games being played, there is also another factor the maintenance team has to consider. If the schools are providing facilities for league sports, the FA and other official bodies have strict criteria governing the state and reliability of the pitches.

What’s required is an effective maintenance regime which tackles the condition and soil structure of the pitch, not just the grass surface.

Tim describes how they have been looking for some-time at the benefits of using a Shockwave to de-compact and improve drainage on sports pitches. “It’s about providing a professional turf maintenance service which addresses the issues and demands of today’s schools sports venues.”

“Without proper maintenance, matches get cancelled or postponed – this is an important factor for the school – both in terms of revenue and continuity for the players.”

This is where the Imants Shockwave from Campey Turf Care Systems comes into its own. It is a de-compactor and aerator that can eliminate sustained flooding and is a very useful tool for relieving compaction over wider areas where surface disturbance needs to be minimised. It is easy to operate and maintain, fast and capable of working in less than ideal conditions. Therefore perfect for tackling sports fields and leaving them immediately playable.

“We provide a more professional, interactive service,” says Tim “The pitches remain playable all year round and the quality of the surface is vastly improved.”

As he says - “It’s a win – win situation with the Shockwave.”

“The schools are happy, the players are happy and even the FA approves.”