With a business degree and an established early career in finance under his belt, Matt Reinhard found himself increasingly drawn to the great outdoors.
“I wanted to be hands on, and feel more connected to my work,” he says.
So, at 30, he stepped out of the office and onto the sporting pitch, paving the way for a new, fulfilling career in groundskeeping.
Today, Matt is a qualified Groundsman at Melbourne Grammar, responsible for the upkeep of key areas at the South Yarra campus including the main oval and cricket wickets. The work of Matt and the broader Grounds and Property team provides students with high quality, professional surfaces to train and compete on at the highest level.
Much to his delight, Matt’s role often intersects with the major sporting events at the school, such as preparing and presenting the surface for the historic Cordner-Eggleson Cup at Flack Park, and the wickets for the Tri-Grammar cricket series.
Growing up in Canberra before relocating to Melbourne, Matt spent a lot of time playing and competing in sport, which he believes naturally contributed to his interest in sports turf management.
In making the career change, Matt took seriously his commitment to develop his skills and knowledge, and made a concerted effort to make the most of his training and placement experiences. In every sense, he has excelled.
His rapid progression and talent have been recognised with two major industry awards, including the Victorian Sports Turf Association Apprentice of the Year and the Melbourne Polytechnic Outstanding Apprentice of the Year award.
Looking ahead, Matt plans to continue to develop his technical skills, with an eye to progress to leadership and management roles in future.
“The support, knowledge and encouragement I’ve received along the way has strengthened my passion for the profession and my drive to keep improving,” he says.
“In the future, I hope to mentor younger staff and help create the same positive pathway into the industry that others have provided for me.”
This year, Matt has been mentoring a Year 12 student who is undertaking additional applied studies with SEDA during his final year of school.
“It’s been rewarding to pass on some of my knowledge and support that was given to me when I was starting out, while also giving him an understanding of what a career in sports turf involves,” he says.
Outside of his role at Melbourne Grammar, Matt describes the “rewarding” experience of contributing to his local community cricket club, preparing wickets throughout the season.
He also volunteers with the Greyhound Adoption Program in Seymour and Tullamarine, supporting enrichment activities and training to prepare greyhounds for adoption.
Through the program, Matt adopted his greyhound ‘Chips’, “who is happiest out on a walk or sleeping on the couch,” he says.
Whilst the career pivot was “daunting” at the time, Matt has no regrets.
“I genuinely enjoy coming to work each morning,” Matt says.
“I have found a real sense of purpose and direction.”
