GMA Young Board

DRIVING CHANGE AND GETTING GIRLS INTO GROUNDS

Jessica Mayho is the GMA Young Board's Facilitator, helping to making the events run by the board a reality and getting more young people interested in grounds. Alongside her work for the Young Board, Jessica not only the business and events manager for the Sports Park at Leeds University but also a hammer thrower training for the 2024 Olympics. Through the Young Board she hopes to be a driving force of change and highlight the grounds sector as a career opportunity for girls too.

Why did you decide to get involved with the GMA Young Board of Directors?

My relationship with the GMA started when it commissioned me to undertake a research project into how it could progress its engagement with women and extend diversity within the grounds management community. I’d heard about other work the GMA was doing including with the Young Board of Directors so when the role of facilitator came up I jumped at it.

What’s your role on the board?

My role is to refresh and expand the Board and plan events. Events are where the heart of the Board lies and where we see we can make the most difference. So I am here to help facilitate the Board’s plans in that area; I deal with the organisation, logistics, and all the behind-the-scenes things needed to help make everything go smoothly. 

What do you enjoy most about being involved?

The highlight so far is the Schools into Stadia event we arranged at Lincoln Football Ground, This was our biggest event yet and saw us give dozens of year 10 school children a taste of what it’s like to be a grounds person at a professional sporting club, as well as some of the careers you can pursue in grounds management. It’s an event we’re all really proud of. 

What do you most hope to achieve?

We’re looking to have another event this year and then three events in 2024. That would be such an achievement. 

Where do you work and what does that involve?

I have a full-time job as business and events manager for the Sports Park at Leeds University. This experience in sports-related event management is a great correspondence for the work I’m doing with the Young Board. I’ve also been a hammer thrower since 2009 and am training for the Olympics 2024, which takes up 30 hours a week. Then I have to factor in managing all my sponsorships and team. 

How did you get into the industry?

I went to SALTEX, which is the turf management show organised by the Grounds Management Association, and there I met Jason Booth who is the chief operating officer at the GMA. We got chatting and he introduced me to the idea of it, it was a chance meeting that has led to so many things!

What’s your advice to those thinking about a career in grounds?

The great thing about the Young Board of Directors is that it's comprised of people from all aspects of the grounds industry. The wealth of across-the-board experience means there’s someone who can offer advice specific to most areas of the sector. Everyone’s really approachable and happy to help, and I can put you in direct contact with each Board member, so you can get a direct answer to specific questions you may have. But also the GMA is a fantastic resource offering lots of training courses, qualifications and careers advice, you can find that online at thegma.org,uk

What’s the best bit about working in the industry?

I’ve been flying the flag for women in sports since I started hammer throwing and now I’m adding to that by focusing that passion into recruiting more women in the groundscare sector. We need youth coming into the industry and women too. To be part of the driving force of change is so rewarding and I hope through my work in the grounds sector, girls will see there’s a role to play for them too and consider it as a career.