Member Spotlight

“It Pays to be in the Right Place at the Right Time” According to Eric Kleypas, Director of Athletic Turf and Grounds, Auburn University

Eric Kleypas came to Auburn to study chemical engineering. His interest in turf was initially sparked by a friend, Neil Moore, who was majoring in turf management. After switching majors, Eric followed Neil to Nashville for a summer and interned at Belle Meade Country Club. The head superintendent, Doug Ward, was the son of the famous Dr. Coleman Ward.

Eric might have become a golf course superintendent, but while still an undergraduate, the Auburn Athletic Department reached out to the turfgrass program, asking for assistance with the athletic fields. An agreement was reached whereby the Athletics Department would fund a couple of graduate student stipends, and, in return, the turf program would schedule and assist with all fertilizer and pesticide applications. Eric began working with a few other students to help improve the athletic fields and immediately fell in love with college athletics. After completing a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Soils/ Turfgrass management, and a master’s degree in agriculture, Eric was hired as the turfgrass manager at Auburn.

“It pays to be in the right place at the right time,” according to Eric, but he was also privileged to work with talented academics. Dr. Jeffrey Higgins, Dr. Elizabeth Guertal, and Dr. Harold Walker, among others, all assisted Eric in accomplishing his career goals. As someone once advised Eric, “When formulating a plan, it’s easy to agree with yourself. The best plans come when two or more agree on the same path.” Certainly, this was the best advice considering the agronomic brain trust he had to draw from at Auburn University.

And Eric was driven to achieve excellence. “Early in my career, I did not know how to ‘go home’. I would work on the fields from sunrise until dark. I wanted the best athletic fields in the country. As the youngest turf manager in the Southeastern Conference, I strived to prove that I was worthy of running with the big boys. I would skip vacations in fear of what might go wrong or what work would not get completed. Physically and mentally, I was doing too much. Marriage, fatherhood, and years of experience have taught me to balance work with home… well, better than before. My perspective is much better than at the beginning of my career. We are growing grass for the Auburn Tigers and having a ton of fun while doing the job.”

For Eric one of the best parts of the job is working events with the crew. “The long hours provide laughs and comradery within the group. Watching employees learn, grow, and excel is an added perk. I also love working outside at a job with tangible results. We know when we have excelled or fallen short by simply looking at the playing conditions.”

It does surprise Eric that artificial turf is not more popular in the industry. “When I was young, high school coaches oversaw maintaining the natural grass fields. Today, so much of the high school game is played on artificial turf. Coaches no longer take care of grass and lack the knowledge of what it takes to protect a field. Athletes are not as familiar with running on wet or slick natural grass during rain events. So, when I read or hear that athletes still prefer practicing and competing on natural grass, it surprises me. It also make me extremely happy.”

Along with many in our industry, Eric enjoys being outdoors. “I love to hunt and fish. My family enjoys visiting Mobile Bay and staying at the Grand Hotel. My son and I fish off the pier. We also appreciate the shopping and restaurants in downtown Fairhope.”

Another pleasure for Eric is attending sporting events where he has no responsibilities. “My wife and son are huge Braves fans, so we hop over to Atlanta whenever possible. I find it extremely relaxing to enjoy a game without worrying about field conditions or weather. We also love Auburn basketball! Our family afternoons involve shooting or throwing whatever ball that Auburn is competing with at the time. If it’s football season, then we are in the front yard throwing touchdown passes. One huge benefit of working at Auburn is experiencing the events through the eyes of my child. I have determined the largest sports fans in the world are the children of employees who work for an organization. When my son matures, I wonder if he will realize just how cool his childhood was?”

Eric is married to Vanessa, who grew up in Winfield, Alabama and is a graduate from Auburn with a degree in Interior Design. She works at Auburn University as a Design/Construction Coordinator. Their son, Dutch, is 10 years old and in 4th grade at Wrights Mill Elementary School. Dutch is a lover of hunting, fishing, playing Fortnite, and all things Auburn.

Eric is a member of the Sports Field Managers Association as well as the ATA. We wish him a great upcoming football season this fall!