The Alleynian 709 2021

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THE ALLEYNIAN 709

SPORT

Phil Greenaway : Paul, do you remember your first day of work at Dulwich? Paul Purnell : My first day was the 6th of January, 1990, and it was freezing. We had hockey on the main grass pitches then, as football wasn’t a major sport in those days. Sean Curly was Head of Hockey around that time, and I was keen to make an impression. We had a machine that nobody knew how to use, and I was tasked with getting the pitches ready. I was determined to demonstrate that I was hardworking and could be relied upon. I certainly needed a few cups of tea to get me through that cold start.

PG : What are the greatest challenges that you face in looking after an estate of this size? PP : The greatest challenge we face as a grounds team is balancing all the demands. The programme is challenging: converting from Rugby to Football, Football to Cricket and then Cricket to Rugby again is always a delicate balance. The weather can make or break our programme of fertilising, seeding and watering. We might lay £20,000 worth of grass seed based on the forecasts and yet none of it takes. Those are the odds we have to play with at times. Boys leaving litter on the campus is a pain. It can clog the mowers and can cause issues on the pitches with plastic being cut up and dispersed. Overall, though, the boys are great: we enjoy preparing pitches for them to play sport on, and we enjoy watching them play. There is nothing more satisfying as a groundsman than cutting the grass, marking the lines, putting the flags out and sitting back to watch the boys. My favourite time of year is September, as we welcome the boys back, having had a chance to repair over the summer. I guess frost and snow are some of the biggest challenges in terms of supporting the games programme. PG : You hosted Australia here for the Rugby World Cup in 2015. How much extra work went into that week? PP : A huge amount of effort and energy was required, but it was a pleasure to host, and to present the pitch in perfect condition. I think it looked its best during that time. The help we had from the RFU, the extra fertiliser and the time we put in during that period meant that it was in excellent condition that season. It was just a shame that nobody could see it because of the fences.

Even though so many sporting activities have been curtailed this year, Head Groundsman Paul Purnell and his team have continued to look after the College’s pitches, tracks and courts week in, week out, making sure that what are surely some of the most spectacular grounds on the London day school circuit remain in tip-top condition. Phil Greenaway took the opportunity to ask Paul about his many years caring for some of the College’s most precious assets

PG : How has life at the College changed in your time here?

PP : Demand on facilities has grown. We now play three times as many fixtures as we did back in 1990, with many more boys out playing sport, from the Junior School up. The development on the south side of the Pavilion has been wonderful, with the addition of drainage allowing us to create excellent surfaces for the boys to play on. The athletics track being changed from a cinder surface to tartan made life easier, as the water used to gather and puddle in certain spots. The 1st XI cricket square being laid in 1995 to ‘96 was a big change. The new square took time to get used to in terms of how best to prepare it, as the quality was so much better than what we had previously. I guess technology has changed things immeasurably. Emails, health and safety controls and new ways of working have meant we have all had to evolve and learn. PG : What has been your favourite sporting moment at the College? PP : Tonbridge v Dulwich in 1997 with the unbeaten team containing the likes of Flatman, Sheridan and Tim Dux is something that I will remember. Tim Dux was captain and he asked me to put this sign up in the away changing room: ‘Rugby is a game played in Heaven: be prepared to meet thy gods.’ I thought it was a bit cheeky, but the 1st XV were so big I wasn’t sure I could say no. Tim Dux mentioned this at a recent reunion, and I think this demonstrates the power of school sport. These boys, and me, have a lifelong memory together. Jonny Waugh kicking a drop goal to beat Hampton on our pitch was a wonderful moment. We have had some fantastic cricket sides here, with the likes of Will McVicar, Chris Jordan, Ruel Braithwaite and Anthony Alleyn among our most brilliant performers. Football has continued to develop as a sport, and of course, it has been amazing hosting international teams, with highlights being our hosting of the Barbarians, Australia and New Zealand 7s for rugby, and Sri Lanka, South Africa, England and Australia for cricket.

GROUNDS SUCCESS FOR

PG : How has Covid affected you and the team?

PP : It impacted on our ability to maintain the grounds, making it difficult to get ahead and carry out repairs, given that staff were furloughed, but the strangest thing during the lockdown was the silence around the campus. There were no cars on the South Circular, and worse still, no boys running and laughing – and we missed them. The lack of noise was strange, eerie almost.

PG : For you, what is the best thing about working at Dulwich?

PP : Working as part of a team, and the sense of community around the school is the best thing about working here. The greenery, the buildings, the grounds and the people make it a fabulous place to work. It is a friendly place, and most of the time the boys are well behaved. There is a sense of belonging to something, and of all pulling in the right direction together to provide the best we can. Watching the boys play on the pitches that we have prepared always warms the heart.

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