Being a groundsman is not just a job for 18-year-old Angus Duffield - it's more of a hobby and he has brought his passions to Dunedin.
A keen sportsman with a love for cricket, Mr Duffield, of Timaru, has always been involved with sports grounds.
Aged just 13, he was already helping out on the roller at his local cricket club.
From then on he has not looked back, and completed a gateway course in his last years at school, working at both golf and cricket clubs in Timaru.
He has now headed south and recently became a turf trainee at Forsyth Barr Stadium and Dunedin's University Oval for Dunedin Venue Management Ltd (DVML).
Mr Duffield said the gateway course helped to start his career and he was now working towards securing his certificate in sport turf management.
When turf manager Mike Davies was looking for volunteers to help during the South Africa versus Black Caps cricket test match in Dunedin in March, Mr Duffield put his hand up for the job.
Mr Davies, who knew Mr Duffield from his work in Timaru, was "so impressed with his work and enthusiasm'' he offered him more work.
The Timaru man is now working fulltime.
Mr Duffield said being a grounds keeper involved a lot of hard work and science to make sure all soils, fertilisers and plant health were up to scratch.
He will now continue to work towards getting his certificate and is looking forward to doing a job he loves.
ELLA.STOKES @thestar.co.nz
