STMA NEWS STMA Virtual Conference
Hundreds of professional sports field managers from across the U.S. and beyond participated in the STMA conference and exhibition held online January 12 – 13, 2021. Attendees heard from top academics and practitioners in a wide range of educational sessions; engaged with leading industry suppliers through the virtual trade show; and met with each other via networking virtual rooms, award ceremonies, and more. All reports indicate that the first ever STMA virtual conference was a resounding success.
Congratulations
NESTMA past president Ben Polimer was recognized with the President’s Award for Leadership at STMA’s 2021 conference. Ben, along with a number of other industry leaders, volunteered his time to help develop STMA’s Route to Recovery series – a resource designed to help sports turf managers meet the challenges of the pandemic including specific strategies for re-opening after lockdown.
Spring Renovations
Spring field preparation may look a little bit different for 2021. Cancelled fall sports seasons may have been moved to the spring, reductions in labor may have upended winter and spring field preparations, and budget reductions may require you to be creative with your resources. STMA members Steve Bush, CSFM, Clark Cox, CSFM, Eric Holland, CSFM, Chad Price, CSFM, CFB, and Scott Thompson, CSFM have developed a Field Renovation Guide to help you make decisions about if your field needs renovations and what kinds of renovations may be necessary. The guide details maintenance practices, irrigation and drainage solutions, infield skins and mounds, as well as proper turfgrass establishment. https://11luuvtufne6f2y33i1nvedi-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/ uploads/2021/01/stma-field-renovation-guide-2.pdf
STMA 2020 Field of the Year Winners
Every year, STMA presents the industry’s highest honors to members who manage baseball, football, soccer, softball and other sporting playing surfaces at the professional, collegiate, schools (K-12), and parks and recreation levels. The 2020 winners are: PROFESSIONAL Baseball – Smokies Stadium (Sevierville, Tenn.): Eric Taylor, Head Groundskeeper Soccer – New York Red Bulls Academy Field (Whippany, N.J.): Zach Holm, CSFM, Manager, RBTF Operations COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY Football – Bobby Bowden Field at Florida State University (Tallahasse, Fla.): Chris Denson, CSFM, Athletic Turf Superintendent SCHOOLS AND PARKS Baseball – Ray Cipperly Field at Middlesex County Vo-Tech School District (East Brunswick, N.J.): Keith Fisher, Grounds Foreman Football – Walsh Field at Pace Academy Riverview Sports Complex (Mableton, Ga.): Daniel Prince, Sports Complex Facility Manager
“2020 has been a trying year for everyone, and sports field managers were forced to adapt and find innovative ways to ensure high-quality field conditions for all athletes,” said Kim Heck, CAE, CEO of STMA. “Each of our winners displayed a commitment to excellence while upholding the unwavering commitment of STMA members to field safety and playability.” A panel of 14 judges independently scored entries based on playability, appearance of surfaces, utilization of innovative solutions, effective use of budget and implementation of a comprehensive agronomic program. Winners received a plaque, were recognized at the virtual STMA annual Awards Banquet, and featured in a 2021 issue of SportsField Management, the official monthly publication of STMA. •
UPCOMING EVENT New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE March 2 & 3, 2021 By Ben Polimer, NERTF Board Member
NERTF promotes turfgrass research in New England with funding generated by industry members’ participation in the foundation’s annual conference. Research funding to date has surpassed $2.5 million. This year’s conference will be held virtually on March 2 & 3, 2021. Tuesday, March 2 will offer 12 different seminars. Programs of special interest to sports turf managers include: • I nsecticides for Managing Turf Damaging Insects with Olga Kostromtska, Ph.D., UMass • Understanding & Managing New and Old Weeds of the Northeast Region with Matt Elmore, Ph.D, Rutgers University & Steven McDonald, Turfgrass Diseases Solutions • Leveraging your Budget for Decision Making & Growth with Art Goodhind, MCA, Town of Natick, MA •P lant & Soil Supplements: Past, Present & Future with Cale Bigelow, Ph.D., Purdue University Full Tuesday program available at https://www.nertf.org/tuesday-education Wednesday, March 3 will offer 4 tracts of education in two-hour sessions with two sessions in each tract. The sports turf management tract features: •S ports Field Grub Management with Ben McGraw, Ph.D., Penn State University •S ports Turf Diseases Strategies with Bruce Clarke, Ph.D., Rutgers University •K eeping Your Team Safe with Bryan Unruh, Ph.D., University of Florida •W etting Agents on Sports Field with Nathaniel Mitkowski, Ph.D., URI •R enovation of Rentschler Field with James Lappetito, Spectra by Comcast Spectacor •S ports Turf Management Strategies when Pesticides are not an Option with Jason Henderson, Ph.D., UConn •T ank Mixing for Sports Turf with Rick Fletcher, NUFARM Full Wednesday program available at https://www.nertf.org/wednesday-program While we’ll miss gathering in person this year, we encourage everyone to participate in NERTC 2021 via Zoom. My thanks to fellow NESTMA members Mary Owen and Mike Buras, CSFM, as well as the rest of the NERTF board and conference committee for their hard work in putting together an exciting virtual program. For more information and to register visit NERTF.org or call 401-848-0004. • March 2021 • New England BLADE • 7
