Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Management Award

 

Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Management Award

  

Presented in partnership with

 

Established in 2020, this award enhances the long-standing and proud tradition of the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association recognising the leading Sports Turf Managers in Australia. 

 

Open to grounds managers, turf curators, facility and stadium managers engaged in maintaining natural turf sporting surfaces, the Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Management Award recognises a Sports Turf Manager for achieving excellence in the management, operations and presentation of turf management at a Sportsfields & Grounds facility. 

With sports grounds facing a variety of increased challenges, this Award is designed to acknowledge and reward a Sports Turf Manager that has exceled in the profession, gone over and above in the management and presentation of their facility, advanced environmental and sustainable practices, undertaken a significant redevelopment or reconstruction project, or contributed significant advancements in turf management practices within the last 2 year period.

Past Recipients

2025 Peter Foreman Adelaide Oval, SA (pictured)  
2024 Chris Hay Ladbrokes Elwick Park (Tasracing), TAS

 
2023 David Wark and Kris Charlton  Glenelg Oval, SA
2022 Marcus Pamplin Blundstone Arena, TAS
2021 Matthew Cairns Blacktown International Sportspark, NSW 
     

 

Prize

The winner of the Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Management Award will be announced at the National Sports Turf Management Awards event in June at the Asia-Pacific Sports Turf Management Conference.  The winner will be presented with a trophy, certificate and bestowed an education bursary of $5,000 that may be used toward further education, or an Australian Sports Turf Managers Association approved study tour.

 

Eligibility

  • Nominees for the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Management Award must be current ASTMA members. 
  • Nominees for the Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Management Award must be currently employed at their place of employment in a senior, supervisory or management position engaged in maintaining a (natural) turf sporting facility. 
  • Nominees for the Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Management Award must be currently employed at a Sportsfields & Grounds facility including (but not limited to) Stadium, Recreational Reserve, School Grounds/Education Sporting facility, Council Sportsfield, Parks, Racetrack, Bowling Green, Tennis Court
  • Nominations will be accepted from members, aligned State or Local sporting associations, club representatives, industry consultants and allied industry bodies. 
  • All valid nominations will be judged individually by a panel of independent industry experts.

Requirements

  • Nominations must include a letter of recommendation introducing the candidate and the reason for the nomination
  • In no less than 1,000 words please detail addressing the Key Selection Criteria outlining how the nominee has displayed excellence in Sports Turf Management. 
  • Applications should include an accompanying dossier, portfolio or presentation supporting the nomination and highlighting the work undertaken, efforts and outcomes to support the nomination.

Key Selection Criteria

Nominees will be judged against their ability to demonstrate: 

  • Their continued commitment to excellence in Sports Turf Management 
  • Provide a detailed description of the facilites turf management objectives and outcomes 
  • Details of any projects, works or events which highlight excellence in Sports Turf Management
  • Information relating to their ability to engage players and club officials, staff, associations, management and the community 
  • Ongoing and updated knowledge of turf management and legislative requierments.

Nominations

The ASTMA accepts award nominations all year round. 

Nominations for the 2025 Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Management Award have now closed.  Nominations for 2026 can be submitted at anytime via the web form below or by by downloading the linked editable pdf.  An editable word document can be requested from simone@astma.com.au

Excellence in Sportsfields & Grounds Nomination Form