Following the launch of the Grounds Management Association’s Hall of Fame, the association relaunches the GMA Awards (previously IOG Awards) with the ceremony taking place this November at The Vox, Birmingham.

Last year, the awards were on hold due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which gave GMA members and the industry the opportunity to focus on challenging maintenance diaries. In 2022, the GMA Awards hosts 19 categories to cover the broad spectrum of its members, including the Volunteer Sports Grounds Team/Individual of the Year Award, the Best Environmental and Sustainability Impact Award and the renowned Alex R Millar Award.

With turf care quickly growing its media presence and public interest, the GMA has also looked at ways to make the awards more accessible to those at all levels of grounds care or turf management, from grassroots to professional stadiums. This includes, for the first time, applicants having the option to submit a short video to the set questions and criteria, instead of completing a written form.

The full list of categories for this year’s GMA Awards is as follows:

• Young Grounds Person of the year
• Newcomer of the Year
• Volunteer Sports Grounds Team/Individual of the Year
• Community Sports Grounds Team/Individual of the Year
• Bowls / Croquet Grounds Team/Individual of the Year
• Best Managed Artificial Surface of the Year
• Best Environmental and Sustainability Impact
• Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year
• Professional Tennis Courts Grounds Team of the Year
• Professional Horse Racing Grounds Team of the Year
• Professional Rugby Football League Grounds Team of the Year
• Professional Rugby Football Union Grounds Team of the Year
• Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year (A)
• Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year (B)
• University/College Grounds Team of the Year
• Independent School Grounds Team of the Year
• International Impact Award
• Alex R Millar Award
• Induction to Hall of Fame

Commenting on the return of the GMA Awards, GMA CEO Geoff Webb says:

“Last year, we recognised that entering the GMA Awards was not a priority for many grounds staff and volunteers, but with growing post-COVID-19 optimism we warmly welcome everyone back to celebrate their achievements in 2022. Both paid grounds staff and volunteers are the backbone of sport and physical activity, and our new award categories aim to make the applications more inclusive and easier to enter for all.”

Nominations for the GMA Awards 2022 open from midday Tuesday 3 May. Judges will be announced later this year with tickets on sale for the ceremony from summer.

Award nominations will open on Tuesday 3 May. Nominees will receive an award application, which they can complete in written or video format. These will then be judged by an independent panel of experts which will be announced later this year.

Deadline for nominations is Friday 29 July 2022, and the deadline for applications is Monday 8 August.

For more information, please visit thegma.org.uk/awards where you can sign-up for further updates.