TLS x Rhenac partnered with GroundsFest Academy and Consolidate Turf for the Optimising Turf Performance event at Leigh Sports Village on 14 October 2026. The event brought together grounds professionals and industry experts to share practical knowledge, explore turf management challenges and experience technology in a real stadium environment.
The free-to-attend, CPD-accredited event focused on the challenges of maintaining high-quality sports turf in stadium environments and explored how lighting technology, plant nutrition and effective recovery strategies can support turf performance.
Supporting Education in Sports Turf Management
As a Platinum Partner of GroundsFest Academy, TLS x Rhenac supports the Academy’s commitment to providing industry-relevant education and training for grounds professionals. The partnership reflects the importance of combining technology with agronomic knowledge and practical experience to address the challenges of modern sports turf management.
During the Optimising Turf Performance event, discussions focused on the impact of demanding fixture schedules, changing weather conditions, limited recovery time and restricted natural light on turf health and performance. The programme explored how different approaches to turf management can help maintain high-quality playing surfaces throughout the year.
Combining Lighting Technology and Plant Nutrition
TLS x Rhenac shared insights into grow lighting technologies, including HPS, conventional LED and Rhenac’s CLS® LED systems, and their role in supporting grass growth in challenging environments. The sessions also covered how lighting solutions can be combined with appropriate nutrition, irrigation and recovery strategies to support plant performance.
Consolidate Turf contributed expertise in plant nutrition, highlighting how nutritional programmes can complement grow lighting to support turf health and recovery.
The event included practical demonstrations and real-world case studies at Leigh Sports Village, where TLS x Rhenac lighting technology is installed. As a busy, multi-use sports venue, Leigh Sports Village provided an opportunity to demonstrate how grow lighting is integrated into day-to-day pitch management and recovery planning.
Tim Engels from TLS x Rhenac highlighted the value of the venue: “This is one of our home grounds where we have our technology installed. It’s an excellent case study because people can see everything working in a real environment. We learn most when we’re in direct contact with people, when they can see the equipment, ask questions and experience it first-hand.”
Knowledge Sharing and Industry Collaboration
Alongside the technical sessions, the event provided an opportunity for grounds professionals to exchange experiences and discuss practical challenges in turf management. These face-to-face conversations, supported by live demonstrations, were an important part of the Academy experience.
Lee Jackson from Sheffield Wednesday highlighted the value of knowledge sharing: “This industry is constantly evolving. If you think you know it all, you don’t. You have to keep learning and improving. Nothing beats being able to speak to people face-to-face, ask questions and share experiences. The networking alone makes events like this worthwhile.”
Thank you to Leigh Sports Village, GroundsFest Academy, Consolidate Turf and all the speakers, partners and attendees who contributed to a day of valuable discussions, shared experiences and practical learning.
For more information about GroundsFest Academy, visit www.groundsfestacademy.com.