Sports field manager's Forum

How do you share best practices with your industry peers?

Clark Cox • Sports Turf Manager • University of South Carolina • Columbia, South Carolina

Every summer, the sports turf managers in the Southeastern Conference get together for an informal meeting.

“We treat it like a conference,” Cox says. “We invite professors within the conference to give prepared talks, touching on what they’ve learned and the latest research they’re involved with.”

Then the managers have sessions of their own.

“I want to know the problems they’re having on their fields because if I’m having issues, I want to make sure they’re the same ones,” he says. “Then we share knowledge on solutions.”

Cox is very involved with the state branch of the STMA.

“In fact, I’m president of the South Carolina chapter,” he says. “It’s important that we make our profession visible and encourage membership. As an organization, we are a wealth of knowledge for high schools, parks and recreation departments, small colleges and anyone else. Everybody has the same problems. Just call us and ask. We’re open to share our knowledge with anyone.”

One of Cox’ mentors is Bert McCarty, professor of turfgrass management at Clemson University.

“He’s been invaluable to me,” Cox says. “If I have a problem, I don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and ask him what’s going on and what I should do. There are many people like him. Our goals are the same. We want our fields to be as safe and playable as possible."

 

Heather Nabozny • Head Groundskeeper • Detroit Tigers • Detroit, Michigan

Nabozny has been head groundskeeper for the Detroit Tigers for eight seasons, but this year was her first experience with the World Series.

“Whenever I have questions, I pick up the phone,” she says. “We hosted the 2005 All Star Game, but my concern this year was how media pressure would affect the turf in foul territory. I called my counterparts with the Yankees, Red Sox and White Sox to see how they handled these situations. We tried to keep as much activity as possible on the warning tracks, although we roped off the stenciled areas.”

Nabozny can’t stress enough the importance of communication.

“The best way for me to share information is on my cell phone or through e-mail,” she says. “And the communication is two-way. I’ll get calls from other groundskeepers asking me what kind of flooring I use for concerts, or what size budget I work with.”

Calls from high school athletic directors or parks and recreation department managers are not uncommon.

“I’ll help in any way I can,” Nabozny says, “but our circumstances are a bit different. I usually refer them to the STMA. Very often, local state chapters have meetings or seminars to discuss issues of concern. These are very valuable.”

The busier the field, the greater the need for close communication.

“Overuse is the biggest problem at these types of facilities,” Nabozny says. “That’s why it’s especially important that turf managers communicate with their athletic director to help them understand the issues they are facing with their turf.”