CPD Penrhyndeudraeth makes volunteer time go further with the SISIS Quadraplay
North Wales grassroots football club Clwb Pêl-Droed (CPD) Penrhyndeudraeth is making better use of valuable volunteer time after investing in a SISIS Quadraplay, giving its groundsman the flexibility to carry out several pitch maintenance operations in a single pass and adapt them quickly to changing conditions.
CPD Penrhyndeudraeth has both senior and junior teams making regular use of its two natural grass pitches for matches and training throughout the season, weather permitting.
Club Secretary and groundsman Aled Thomas has been involved with the club for around 20 years and carries out the grounds maintenance on a voluntary basis. With two busy pitches to look after, making the most of both his available time and suitable maintenance windows is essential.
Before investing in the SISIS Quadraplay, individual maintenance jobs required different pieces of equipment and separate passes across the pitch.
“As volunteers, we were trying to carry out different maintenance jobs using different pieces of equipment, which could take a lot of time,” says Aled.
That challenge becomes particularly important in North Wales, where rainfall can dictate when machinery can get onto the surface.
“We have to make the most of suitable weather and ground conditions when they are available,” he explains.
Advice and grant support help make the investment possible
The decision to invest in SISIS equipment followed a GMA site visit, together with advice from local dealer Major Owen, whose business is located just across the road from the club.
For grassroots clubs such as CPD Penrhyndeudraeth, identifying the right equipment is only part of the challenge. Access to grant funding can play an important role in turning recommendations for improved pitch maintenance into practical investment.
The club purchased its SISIS Quadraplay and Kubota EK1-261 tractor with support from a Cymru Football Foundation/FAW grant, enabling it to introduce a dedicated tractor and implement system suited to maintaining its two pitches.
“SISIS has a strong reputation in pitch maintenance and the equipment was well suited to what we needed as a grassroots club,” says Aled.
Four implements, one flexible system
A major attraction of the Quadraplay was its ability to carry up to four implements and complete several maintenance operations during the same pass.
CPD Penrhyndeudraeth currently has a spiker, spring tines, roller and brush, giving Aled four different tools that can be combined according to the condition of the pitch and the work required.
“The biggest attraction was being able to carry out several jobs with one machine,” he says. “As volunteers, being able to carry out more than one operation at once is a big advantage.”
Rather than simply saving time, the system gives Aled considerably more choice over how he approaches each maintenance session. The implements can be easily adjusted so that he can change the combination or intensity of work to suit the surface.
“It is straightforward and gives the flexibility to use any combination we need at the spin of a handle!”
That flexibility is particularly useful during the playing season. A pitch requiring relatively light maintenance and presentation ahead of a fixture may need a different setup from one recovering from heavier play or difficult weather.
Aled can therefore alter how the Quadraplay is set up rather than following the same maintenance routine regardless of conditions.
“It is very easy to adjust depending on the condition of the pitch,” he says. “The machine is particularly valuable during the playing season, when the time between fixtures can be limited.”
Completing several operations together also means fewer unnecessary passes across the surface, helping Aled make more productive use of both tractor time and the limited opportunities when conditions are suitable.
More options from the same machine
Although the club currently uses four implements, the Quadraplay system provides scope to change or extend its capabilities in the future.
A wide range of interchangeable implements is available for the Quadraplay, including different slitting and spiking tools, grooming rakes, straight and zig-zag brushes, Flexicomb, levelling tools and rollers.
For a grassroots club making a significant capital purchase, that gives the mainframe value beyond one particular maintenance operation. Different implements can be selected as requirements develop rather than the club necessarily having to invest in a completely separate machine for every task.
It is an approach particularly suited to volunteer grounds teams, where versatility, straightforward operation and making the best use of available machinery are important considerations.
Supporting recovery and matchday presentation
The Quadraplay has now become part of Aled's normal maintenance programme, particularly between fixtures.
Following a match, he can use the appropriate combination of implements to help work on the playing surface before changing the setup as attention turns towards presentation for the next game.
Since introducing the machine, he has noticed benefits both in the appearance of the pitches and his ability to keep on top of their condition.
“The presentation of the pitch has improved and the surface is easier to maintain between matches,” says Aled. “Regular use of the machine has helped us stay on top of the surface and improve its overall condition and recovery.”
For Aled, however, one of the Quadraplay's most useful characteristics remains its adaptability.
Weather, fixture schedules and pitch conditions rarely remain the same for long, so being able to change the machine accordingly gives a volunteer groundsman a practical way of responding.
“We still have to work around the weather, but it gives us the flexibility to adjust how we use the implements depending on the conditions.”
A practical solution for grassroots clubs
Having incorporated the Quadraplay into his own maintenance routine, Aled believes the same combination of versatility and efficiency could benefit other volunteer-led clubs.
“I would definitely recommend it. For a grassroots club run by volunteers, having one versatile machine that can carry out several jobs and save time is a big advantage.”
For CPD Penrhyndeudraeth, the investment is about more than carrying out four operations in one pass. The Quadraplay gives Aled a reliable and adaptable maintenance system that can be configured around the pitch, the weather and the time available – helping one volunteer make more of every opportunity to maintain the club's two playing surfaces.
About the SISIS Quadraplay
The SISIS Quadraplay is a tractor-mounted single-pass turf maintenance system capable of carrying up to four interchangeable implements simultaneously. Each implement can be adjusted to suit the required operation and surface conditions, providing grounds teams with a flexible system for routine maintenance, surface preparation and presentation.
Available in 1.8m and 2.4m working widths, the robust, low-maintenance frame accepts a wide choice of implements, allowing users to configure the Quadraplay around their own maintenance requirements and adapt it as those requirements change.
