STIGA making a big impression at Keresley RFC

STIGA making a big impression at Keresley RFC

A winning combination: grassroots rugby, dedicated volunteers and a little robotic help!

At Keresley RFC, getting the pitch in tip-top condition is all part of the game. But when your grounds team is made up entirely of volunteers, keeping the grass match-ready can be a challenge in itself. Thankfully, the club has welcomed two new team members who are proving they can really cut it!

But these two new additions to the grounds team, from STIGA, have a story behind them that makes their arrival at Keresley RFC even more special.

For more than 49 years, Keith “Shakey” Shakespear dedicated himself to looking after the club’s pitches and grounds, playing a huge part in keeping Keresley RFC looking its best for generations of players. Sadly, Keith passed away in June, in his 80s, leaving behind a remarkable legacy and some very big boots to fill.

With the blessing of Keith’s family, the club has found a fitting way to honour its much-loved, long-serving head of grounds. The two STIGA robotic mowers have been named Shakey 2.0 and Shakey 3.0, ensuring that a little piece of Keith’s spirit lives on around the club he cared for so passionately.

It’s a heartfelt tribute to a man who gave so much of his time to Keresley RFC. And while the new recruits might not share Keith’s decades of experience just yet, they’re certainly doing their bit to keep his legacy alive, one perfectly cut pitch at a time.

The two robots are busy tackling the mowing across two of the club’s four pitches, cutting as frequently as possible to keep the grass in great condition. And the results are already making a real difference, saving the team an estimated five hours of work every week.

That’s five extra hours to get stuck into other essential groundskeeping jobs, from trimming hedges and strimming borders to sowing seed and applying fertiliser. In other words, less time pushing a mower and more time making sure every part of the club is ready for action.

The benefits are showing on the pitch, too. The grounds team has noticed improvements in grass quality and growth, with the frequent cutting helping to create a stronger, healthier-looking surface. And when it comes to cut quality, the verdict is that the team is delighted with the results.

It’s not just the grounds team that has noticed the difference. Players and coaches have been quick to praise the pitches, with the club’s two main playing surfaces now looking stunning and, in the team’s words, more like those of a professional club.

Better still, with the pitches consistently ready for use, Keresley RFC has greater flexibility to make the most of its available space. That means more freedom to organise training, accommodate players and get on with what rugby clubs do best: bringing people together through the game.

And while the robotic mowers are quietly getting on with their work, the volunteers can concentrate on the bigger picture, keeping the whole site in top shape and making sure Keresley RFC is ready for kick-off, whatever the fixture list brings.

It’s a great example of how a little technology can make a big difference at grassroots level, helping dedicated volunteers spend their time where it matters most.

That’s where STIGA is lending a helping hand. Through its multi-year partnership with England Rugby, STIGA is committed to supporting the volunteers and grounds teams who keep rugby thriving across the country, helping clubs maintain high-quality playing surfaces from grassroots rugby right through to the elite game.

As part of the partnership, STIGA is rolling out equipment to rugby clubs and sports facilities nationwide, helping pitches and green spaces look their best.

At Keresley RFC, the impact is clear: two new members of the grounds team, five hours saved every week and pitches that are looking better than ever.

Because in rugby, every player has a role to play. And at Keresley RFC, it seems the robots have well and truly earned their place in the squad!

Read more about the STIGA partnership with England Rugby, here: www.stiga.com/uk/stiga-x-rfu

You can read more about STIGA’s autonomous robot mowers and other STIGA products here: www.stiga.com/uk/

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