Turf Terps Take 3rd Place

By Geoffrey Rinehart, University of Maryland

Continuing a tradition which began almost two decades ago, UMD students recently attended the Sports Turf Managers Association annual conference in Phoenix and the Golf Industry Show in San Diego, CA in Jan.

3rd place finish in the 4-year competition at STMA

Both conferences provided an excellent opportunity to attend presentations from some of the nation’s leading researchers and turf managers, meet fellow students and industry professionals, explore the latest equipment and technologies at the trade shows, and, of course, compete in the STMA Student Challenge and Golf Industry Show Turf Bowl. The competitions consists of 4-student teams tested in categories such as turfgrass, weed, and disease identification; turfgrass math; irrigation; and soil science. This year’s Turf Terps team members were coached by IAA Turfgrass Management Lecturer Geoffrey Rinehart and Athletics Dept. Assistant Grounds Manager Alex Steinman and included veterans Brendan Keane (4-year), Max Sturges (IAA), Clayton Young (IAA), and newcomer Ben Word (4-year). The Terps placed 3rd out of 21 teams competing in the 4-year competition of the Student Challenge and 3rd place out of 50+ teams at the Turf Bowl, garnering a $1,000 check for the IAA Turfgrass program.

UMD students at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix during STMA

In addition to the conference activities and education, the students had the opportunity to visit State Farm Field, home of the Phoenix Cardinals, and took a tour guided by head groundskeeper Andy Levy. The field is truly unique as one of the only retractable field in the country that can be “wheeled in and wheeled out” of the stadium and the visit enabled students to broaden their knowledge and perspective as they learned what it takes to maintain this high level field with varying multiple events in a challenging environment. Many thanks to the Maryland turfgrass industry including the MTC, MTA, MAAGCS, and MASTMA for their support of our “Turf Terps!”