Fall 2022 Managing Sports Fields During Heat and Drought Stress NESTMA Fall Turf Day Oct. 12 Member Spotlight on Angela O’Connor
www.harrells.com | 800.282.8007 Employee -Owned IT DOESN’T MATTER THE SEASON HARRELL’S HAS YOU COVERED. For nearly 30 years, POLYON® controlled-release fertilizer has been used with confidence for its predictable performance and labor-saving benefits. Industry proven, trusted by sports turf managers everywhere. If your goal is safe, durable and beautifully playable turf – season in and season out – no fertilizer feeds your success like POLYON® fertilizer. Choose POLYON® fertilizer and you will get guaranteed results backed by our POLYON® Guarantee. CHUCK BRAMHALL CAPE COD (508)CBRAMHALL@HARRELLS.COM400-0600 JIM COHEN EASTERN MA & ME (978)JCOHEN@HARRELLS.COM337-0222 MIKE DUKETTE CT (860)MDUKETTE@HARRELLS.COM930-8888 JIM FAVREAU MASSACHUSETTS (978)JFAVREAU@HARRELLS.COM227-2785 MIKE KROIAN RI, MA (401)MKROIAN@HARRELLS.COM265-5353 ROGER WHITAKER NH & VT (603)RWHITAKER@HARRELLS.COM505-1618 JIM WIERZBICKI CT, RI (860)JWIERZBICKI@HARRELLS.COM424-7250 KENT LEMME WESTERN MASS (413)KLEMME@HARRELLS.COM281-8087 CONNOR CINQUE NH, ME (603)CCINQUE@HARRELLS.COM930-1861 For more information, visit www.harrells.com/polyon or contact your Territory Manager today!
Chris McGinty Framingham,ParksFraminghamDepartmentMA
Town of Weston Weston, MA
Fay Southborough,School MA
Kim Britton
Management
NESTMAinfo@gmail.comNESTMA.org(508)Medfield,StreetMA02052653-1241 Technical Editor
4 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022 CONTENTS • Fall 2022
University of Rhode Kingston,IslandRI
Victoria Wallace University of Connecticut Storrs, this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: TheTurfZone.com
The official publication of the New England Sports Turf Managers Association (NESTMA), the New England Blade is dedicated to educating, advising, and informing members of the profession and furthering the goals of the Association. The New England Blade carries news and features related to the sports turf management profession. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication and to refuse advertising not in keeping with the goals of the Association. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the validity of claims in connection with items appearing in the New England Blade . Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by the New England Blade, NESTMA, or Leading Edge Communications, or preference over similar products not mentioned. The New England Blade is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of NESTMA. Presorted standard postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
Tom Barry, CSFM Greens Farms Academy Greens Farms, CT
Advancing professionalism in sports turf management and athletic field safety through education, research, and scholarships.
Read Custom Soils Wareham, MA
Evan Steele Pioneer Billerica,AthleticsMA
Directors
Secretary /Treasurer
CT DEPARTMENTS6President’sMessage8NESTMANews9IndexofAdvertisers Find
Andrew Carlisle
NESTMA West
Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH
Past President Ben Polimer
COLUMNS 22 Development:Professional Cultivating DevelopmentEmployee 20 Synthetic Turf: Pay Attention to High Use Areas in Synthetic Turf MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 16 Angela O’Connor Director of Parks & TownRecreationofBerwick, Maine RECENT EVENTS 10 August Webinar and Workshop 12 UConn Turf Day FEATURE14Managing Sports Fields During Heat and Drought Stress 1014 16
John Cunniff Walpole, MA
Board of Trustees
Ryan Bjorn Gillette Foxboro,StadiumMA
Adam Ferrucci
Ian Lacy
Tom Irwin, Burlington,Inc.MA
Headquarters 67
Art Goodhind
Victoria Wallace University of Connecticut Storrs, CT Team
PresidentOfficers
President Elect Brian Boesch
Town of Natick Natick, MA
Kevin Benner Pine Malden,BanksMA
Virginia Wood, Executive Director Peggy CharissaKristenBenjaminDreyerSharkey
For free advice or to book your free eld assessment call us now at 877-641-1819 and speak with one of our experts. WWW. REPLAYMAINTENANCE USA.COM RE VIVE RE REPAIR STORE We have the maintenance solu on for all your synthe c elds
I look forward to seeing everyone at many industry events throughout the fall. Be sure to sign up for NESTMA’s Fall Turf Day on October 12 at Loring Arena in Framingham, MA.
Atlantic Golf & Turf – atlanticgolfandturf.com Brock USA – brockusa.com Corbett Incorporated – corbettirrigation.com Finch Turf, Inc. – finchinc.com Greenhaven Turf Care – greenhaventurf.com Harts Turf Pro – hartsturfpro.com Harrell’s – harrells.com Tom Irwin – tomirwin.com MTE – mte.us.com Pioneer Athletics – pioneerathletics.com ProPlay – schmitzfoam.com Read Custom Soils – readcustomsoils.com RePlay Maintenance USA – replaymaintenanceusa.com Shaw Sports Turf – shawsportsturf.com Sports Construction Estimating – sportsce.com Sports Turf Specialties – sportsturfspecialities.com Traverse Landscape Architects – traversela.com TPC – turfproductscorp.com Tuckahoe Turf – ttfarms.com Turface Athletics – turface.com TurfTank – turftank.com/us US Playground Surfacing – usplaygroundsurfacing.com These companies partnered with NESTMA on one or more of our educational events and advertised in The Blade Please be sure to thank them for their support of our industry, as you do business with them throughout the year. THANK YOU COMMERCIAL PARTNERS 6 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEFUTURE FOCUSED
rolonged drought conditions, record-setting heat waves, and summer sports have wreaked havoc on New England turfgrass. As sports turf professionals, we are well-equipped to handle the challenges that will come our way this fall. In our line of work, we are used to dealing with always uncertain conditions, which is a plus as we move forward with an eye on the future.
At NESTMA, our mission is to help ensure the success of our members, as well as New England’s turfgrass industry. We know that this success depends on collaborating with organizations that share the same values and goals as our association members. A recent example of this collaboration was our participation in the New England Parks Association’s (NEPA) Spring Field Day in Portsmouth, NH. The day was filled with great conversations and connection with colleagues – and we were all talking turf!
SFMA President James Bergdoll, CSFM (center) spent time with NESTMA board members Andrew Carlisle, CGM (left) and Chris McGinty (right) at NEPA’s Spring Field Day in Portsmouth, NH.
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Locally, we are exploring ways to work together with allied organizations to create educational and networking opportunities that will benefit our collective members and our industry.
A highlight of the NEPA field day was spending time with SFMA president, James Bergdoll. James traveled all the way from Chattanooga, TN to support sports turf professionals in our region. It was great to talk about the many ways SFMA promotes our industry, the challenges we all face, as well as our shared vision for the future.
Chris McGinty NESTMA President
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IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY VOLUNTEER LEADERS CALLING ALL SPEAKERS & SPONSORS NESTMA DoNEWSAWARD NOMINATIONS DUE JANUARY 15 GolfUPCOMINGEVENTSOCTOBER6,2022MALCP/NESTMAAnnualTournament&Auction18thholesupportsNESTMAStudentScholarshipFund! Butter Brook Golf Club Westford,MALCP.orgMA OCTOBER 12, 2022 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. NESTMA Fall Turf Day Longs Athletic Complex & Loring Arena Framingham,NESTMA.orgMA DECEMBER 6, 2022 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. NESTMA Annual Meeting & Holiday Social The German Club Walpole, NESTMA.orgMA LOOKING AHEAD… JANUARY 16 – 19, 2023 SFMA Annual Conference & Exhibition Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, Sportsfieldmanagement.orgUT MARCH 7 – 9, 2023 New England Regional Turfgrass Conference Rhode Island Convention Center Providence,NERTF.orgRI MARCHWEDNESDAY,8,2023 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. NESTMA Annual Awards Meeting & Lunch @ NERTC Providence, RI
It’s not too early to renew your NESTMA membership for the coming year! Renewals are quick and easy online at NESTMA.org/Renew23. Your continued financial support and involvement are important to our industry and appreciated by your association.
you know a NESTMA member who has made significant contributions to the sports turf industry in New England? Help us recognize their achievement with your nomination for Sports Turf Manager of the Year or Commercial Partner of the Year. Visit https://nestma.org/Awards-&-Scholarships for details and an online nomination form. Deadline is January 15, 2023. The awards will be presented at NESTMA’s Annual Awards Meeting and Lunch on March 8, 2023, at the NERTC in Providence, RI.
Have you ever thought about what it might be like to serve on a NESTMA committee or the board of directors? If you’d like to know more about what volunteer leadership entails, please contact any of our current board members or the NESTMA office for details.
If you are a commercial partner interested in sponsoring NESTMA programs, please reach out to the Charissa at the NESTMA office and we’ll find the opportunity that gives your company the maximum ROI. •
NESTMA’s Education Committee is always eager to bring fresh perspective and ideas to the membership through our educational programming. Topics ranging from technical turfgrass management to leadership and communication have been suggested. Do you have educational information you’d like to present to NESTMA members? Outline your idea using this brief online form (NESTMA. org/education-form) and the committee will be in touch.
8 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022
Fall 2022 • New England BLADE • 9 DryJect 7 Harrell’s LLC Inside Front Cover www.harrells.com Precision Laboratories, LLC 19 twilliams@precisionlab.com Progressive Turf Equipment Inc. 20 www.progressiveturfequip.com Quest Products Corp. Back Cover www.questproducts.us Read Custom Soils ...................................................................... 3 www.readcustomsoils.com RePlay Maintenance USA............................................................ 5 www.replaymaintenanceusa.com STEC Equipment 13 www.stecequipment.com The Turf Zone 11, 18 www.theturfzone.com Turf Products Corp ........................................... Inside Back Cover www.turfproductscorp.com/about INDEX OF ADVERTISERSNESTMA Members Receive A 20% DISCOUNT ON ADVERTISING in New England Blade To discuss advertising opportunities, contact Leading Edge Communications 888-707-7141 • sales@leadingedgecommunications.com How you prepare your ballfields in the late fall directly affects your success in the spring. Start with the right plan, add the right materials, use the right equipment, and you can essentially ensure quality play right out of the gate next spring. You and your crew will take away tips to effectively organize your maintenance practices, along with expert recommendations on tools and techniques you can put to work now including: • Grading • Mound & Plate Care • DragFloatScarifying,Dragging,Patterns • Edging & MaintenanceLip • ManagementMoisture • Topdressing For more information and to sign up visit NESTMA.org today! It is important to remember that ballfield prep for next year begin before this year ends! FALL TURF DAY Play Ball! Prep Now for Game-Ready Ballfields Next Spring Wednesday, October 12, 2022 • 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Loring Arena & Longs Athletic Complex • Framingham, MA
and Read Custom Soil for their generous product donations; and Finch Equipment/John Deere for their sponsorship support.
EVENT RECAP 10 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022
ESTMA’s August webinar and workshop provided SFMs with the latest testing, technology, and techniques to help bring sports fields and green spaces back to life this fall. It was also a great chance to get together and share how everyone is dealing with the summer’s ongoing drought and extremeSpecialheat.thanks to Scott Vose and Ian Lacy of Tom Irwin Advisors for leading the online and in-person education; Nate Miller and Ryan Raposa of R.A.D. Sports for running outstanding demonstrations under very difficult field conditions; Hart Seed
The next issue of The Blade will feature a thorough review of this project including site assessment, management recommendations, remediation techniques, and results. •
IMPROVING TURF WORKSHOPHEALTH
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555,000TheTurfZone.comsales@leadingedgecommunications.com888–707-7141isthecentralhubforturfgrassresearchandinformationfrommultiplestateturfassociations.BASEDONDATAASOFNOVEMBER2021.MoreThanWebsitePageViewsPerYear.facebook.com/theturfzonetwitter.com/theturfzoneContactustodaytolearnabouteffectiveanduniqueTurfZonemarketingstrategiesthattargetturfindustryprofessionals.
Research showcased at the July 28 field day highlighted sustainable maintenance practices that reduce inputs of water, fertilizer, and pesticides, which directly enhance and improve the health of the environment. Tour stops included updates about cultural management practices used to reduce disease; fungicide evaluations; cultural and chemical control to mitigate annual bluegrass; autonomous and conventional mowing strategies; the impact on turf species, mowing height and seeding rates on weed populations; NTEP cultivar evaluations of bentgrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass; and practical pollinator meadow management strategies. There were also
2022 TURFGRASSUConnFIELD DAY
Conn faculty shared updates about their current research projects with industry professionals at the 2022 Turfgrass Field Day, held on July 28 at the UConn Plant Science Research Facility in Storrs, CT. More than 300 turfgrass practitioners from across New England attended the biennial field day.
several self-guided stops, which allowed visitation to projects not highlighted during the circuit of designated tour stops.
“The day allows for easy interaction between turfgrass faculty and industry stakeholders,” said John Inguagiato, associate professor of turfgrass science. “Attendees leave with information they can immediately use, and we hear more about the challenges and issues important to them.”
Alumni of the turfgrass program had the opportunity to network with fellow turfgrass professionals and commercial business partners. Attendees also enjoyed the opportunity to take a brief break from day-to-day challenges of the season. A lunchtime program highlighted the success of the turfgrass program and introduced the William Dest scholarship. which was recently launched by the UConn Foundation. Bill Dest was the first turfgrass faculty hired at UConn. His research centered on soil health and sports turf research. NESTMA recently contributed to this new scholarship program.
•
EVENT RECAP • continued 12 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022
Graduate student Tyler Seidel speaks to attendees of the UConn Turfgrass Field Day on July 28, 2022.
By Vickie Wallace, Extension Educator, UConn Extension
U
How drought tolerant a turfgrass is depends upon:
Given the following conditions this is what the turf may be experiencing:
The most common heat stress symptoms are a reduction in shoot growth and a stoppage or loss of a functional root system. In most cases heat stress alone does not cause turf death. The impact of heat is often associated with detrimental changes to the plant that increase the likelihood of traffic or wear injury. Turfgrasses vary in their tolerance to heat stress, with tall fescue withstanding considerably more heat stress than perennial ryegrass or rough bluegrass. Soil temperatures above the optimum are more detrimental than air temperature. When average daily soil temperatures exceed 70°F 50% or more of the root system of a cool season turfgrass can be lost. In a controlled study at Rutgers University, the researchers exposed creeping bentgrass plants to increasing soil temperatures while holding the air temperature constant at 68°F. Above 70°F they observed a decline in root mass, length and activity, which continued to decline with increasing soil temperature. In Ohio State rhizotron research, root activity and growth declined dramatically during summer stress. While warm-season grasses perform much better during the heat of the summer than cool-season grasses, both are susceptible to drought stress and will go dormant in the summer if they do not get water.
Cool season turfgrasses perform best when daytime temperatures are in the 60-75°F range and soil temperatures are in the 5065°F range, along with adequate soil moisture. By comparison, warm-season grasses can function better in warmer temperatures and are able to continue growing during the heat of the summer if there is adequate soil moisture. The most stressful time of the year for cool-season turfgrasses is typically June through August, when there are hot sunny days and temperatures routinely in the 80s. With temperatures on the rise, it is a good time to remember what effect temperature has on turf. Solar radiation is the source of heat buildup in the turfgrass plant. Transpiration of water up through the plants and out of the stomatal pores dissipates the heat. The rate of transpirational flow is dependent on temperature, wind, solar radiation and humidity. It is regulated by the stomatal openings and by the static layer of air that covers the leaf blade (called the “boundary layer” and held at 100% humidity). Once the boundary layer is removed
1. The severity and duration of the drought and number of drought exposures.
2. Being able to evade the stress. Turf may go dormant during the summer to evade the stress period. An example of this would be rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis).
3. Being able to avoid the stress. Turf can avoid drought stress by having deep roots, or an abundance of root hairs, a dense sward, rolled or hairy leaf blades, thick cuticles and/or small leaf areas. An example of this would be tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) which has deep roots.
By Dr. T. K. Danneberger, Dr. J. R. Street and P. J. Sherratt, Sports Turf Management, The Ohio State University
Managing Sports Fields DURING HEAT & DROUGHT STRESS
Editor’s Note: This New England summer has been excessively dry and hot. Average high air temps have been well above 85°F and we are carrying a precipitation deficit of several inches. Most of southern New England is in severe drought and other areas are in moderate drought. The average soil temperature at 2" depth ranges from mid-70°F to the low 80°F. These hot and dry conditions are far from ideal for cool-season grasses. This article will look at how cool-season grasses respond to heat and drought and how best to manage them to minimize turf injury.
14FEATURE • New England BLADE • Fall 2022
• Clear sunny day, no breeze, and adequate soil moisture – The canopy temperature will be 15°F higher than the air temperature
The Principles of Heat & Drought Stress
• Cloudy, no breeze, adequate soil moisture – The canopy temperature will be the same as the air temperature
by windy conditions, the movement of water via transpiration is increased. Thus, the rate of transpirational cooling is much greater on a sunny, windy day than a cloudy, calm day.
• If soil moisture is limiting, under sunny days the canopy temperature can rise 20°F above the air temperature
• Clear sunny day, slight breeze, adequate soil moisture – The canopy temperature will be within 1°F of the air temperature
• Heavy sand topdressing left on the turf surface can increase canopy temperatures 23°F
4. Genetic tolerance. Turf may be able to tolerate drought stress by having greater food and water reserves during the stress period. An example of this would be bermudagrass (Cyanodon dactylon).
• Avoid the use of covers and tarps.
•
• Disperse or stagger the entering and exiting patterns and practice drill areas to minimize and reduce the concentration of wear. Keep traffic off dormant fields.
Fall 2022 • New England BLADE • 15
Pre-stress practices in the spring
Excessive amounts of nitrogen applied in the spring will favor top growth and be detrimental to root growth, so apply light rates of fertilizer. Potassium is the nutrient most associated with water regulation within the turf plant and it has been linked with increased stress tolerance and improved injury recovery, particularly in warm-season grasses. Excessive top growth could also be caused by using growth blankets and covers during the spring, which may be at the detriment of root growth. It is important to take covers off and harden the turf off several weeks prior to the summer stress period.
Leading into the summer stress period, it’s important to encourage as much root, rhizome and stolon growth as possible. This is done by carrying out aggressive aeration and topdressing programs in the spring. In addition, turf should be exposed to mild drought conditions to harden-off or precondition for the stress period. Excessive soil compaction and saturated soils should be alleviated at all costs since the goal is to promote roots!
• On sand-based and other high stress fields, lightly syringe (cool down) the turf in the afternoon by spraying turf with a hose or rotation of the sprinkler heads.
• Monitor the turf closely for damage from white grubs in May and June, since they damage turf roots. Fields with a history of grub problems need to be protected with a seasonlong control product. Bluegrass billbugs have been a major problem on fields the last two summers but damage has been misdiagnosed as mild drought. Check for insect activity if turf looks droughty.
General guidelines for managing turf during summer heat & drought stress:
Now that we have discussed some of the underlying principles of heat and drought stress on cool-season athletic fields, let’s look at some of the turfgrass management practices that can help to alleviate some of that stress.
• Reduce the frequency of practices like verti-cutting, core aeration and sand topdressing.
• Apply irrigation early in the morning. Do not over-water during periods of high temperatures as this could cause wet wilt and also encourage diseases like brown patch and pythium. Irrigate deeply & infrequently. If rooting depth has been greatly reduced, lighter, more frequent irrigation should be applied. Make sure water application rates are not greater than soil infiltration rates to avoid run-off. Keep in mind that turf growing in shade needs about half as much water as the same grass growing in full sun. Monitor turf closely for signs of wilt: purple color, foot printing, and rolled leaves.
• On non-irrigated fields, use warm-season grasses, tall fescue, or mixes of tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. Choose stress tolerant cultivars wherever possible. Check the National Turfgrass Evaluation Trials for the best cultivars within a species for your area (NTEP.org).
• Kentucky bluegrass fields not in use during the summer can be eased into summer dormancy, whereby the top growth stops and goes brown, but the crown remains hydrated and viable. Kentucky bluegrass can survive in this dormant state for a couple of weeks and then recuperate when environmental conditions are more favorable. Monitor the crown to make sure it stays hydrated, or the plant will die.
• Avoid applying DMI fungicides and plant growth regulators.
• Apply nitrogen fertilizer during the stress period to suppress leaf senescence during periods of high temperature and to promote recovery. Use a slow-release source of N.
Exposing turf to drought stress prior to the summer stress period (called drought preconditioning) can enhance the turf’s ability to withstand heat and drought stress. Research by Bingru Huang has shown that drought preconditioning can promote much deeper and extensive root systems in turf like Kentucky bluegrass. In addition to deeper roots, preconditioned plants maintained greater leaf water content and enhanced stomatal conductance and transpiration rates. Preconditioning is done by exposing the turf to mild drought stress in the spring, which can be a challenge if there are heavy rain events throughout the spring months. It is essential during the spring months to promote as many roots as possible by alleviating soil compaction and by being judicious with both water and fertilizer. Spring is the best root growth growing period for cool-season grasses. Cultural practices to encourage root growth at this time of year will provide great dividends during summer stress.
The amount of water a turfgrass system needs is based upon its “water use rate” (WUR), which is calculated by the evapotranspiration (ET) rate. Compared to warm-season grasses like bermudagrass, cool-season grasses have high water use rates during the summer, typically between 0.25 – 0.35 inches per day. ET rate is commonly used as a guide for the amount of supplemental irrigation needed each week if there is no rainfall. A ball-park figure would be that turfgrasses require 1-inch of water per week. Lower amounts than the weekly ET rate could also be applied if there was a severe drought, and the irrigation water was scarce or too expensive. It is not uncommon to see irrigation strategies of replenishing only 50-80% of the calculated ET rate, in order to conserve moisture. If turf is allowed to go dormant to conserve moisture, it is important to regularly check the crown (base) of the grass plant to make sure that it stays hydrated or the turf may die. Turfgrasses with rhizomes or stolons are more able to withstand periods of drought than shallow-rooted, bunch type grasses. These latter grasses, like annual bluegrass, (Poa annua) have a short wilt phase and die out quickly under summer stress.
• Raising the height of cut slightly will increase the wear tolerance of the turf. Municipal fields and tall fescue fields should be mowed at 3-inches. A denser turf will provide better protection to the growing point and also help minimize temperature buildup at the soil surface.
• Minimize the frequency of mowing. For example, if double cutting prior to games is a standard practice, reduce the frequency to single cutting. Avoid mowing during the heat of the day. Avoid mowing wilted turf. Minimize repetitive mowing patterns.
In 2018, I moved to Needham, MA where I was Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation. Needham is where I met Ed Olsen, Patty Carey, and the entire Parks Department team. In the short time (2.5 years) I was there, I learned an incredible
University of Southern Maine Therapeutic Recreation / Social & Behavioral Sciences Town of Berwick, Maine Director of Parks & O’ConnorAngelaRecreation
Angela O’Connor
SPOTLIGHTMEMBERON
amount, especially from Ed. His knowledge and expertise are incredible. He is an unbelievable resource and he helped me move on to my next adventure.
16 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022
While working for a small town (Kennebunkport, ME) as a Recreation Programmer, I had to wear many hats. One of those hats was to help line fields and pay attention to how the fields were being used by the community.
After leaving Needham, I came back to Maine. I started my current job in January 2021. When I arrived in Berwick, I wasn’t fully aware of the details of the largest green space asset that the town has: Memorial Field. It is an eight-acre parcel with two baseball fields and a full irrigation system, two playgrounds, basketball courts and tennis court that hadn’t been maintained in almost 20+ years. Community volunteers did their best to maintain Memorial Field throughout the years, without much help from the town. A lot of quick fixes had been put in place without the knowledge and expertise necessary to maintain the asset.
Where did you go from there?
How did you get your start in the sports turf industry?
Who has helped you the most in the sports turf industry?
Gary and Angela
What is the next “game-changer” you see on the horizon for the sports turf industry?
Fall 2022 • New England BLADE • 17
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?
As a woman in this industry, I have learned to be bold and confident enough to share my knowledge. As I develop into a better leader, I know what needs to be done and if I don’t, I will do my best to find the answer from other experts.
What’s your favorite thing about your current position / responsibilities?
Ed Olsen was the person I contacted to get advice on what direction to go with the green space and fields I had in Berwick. He recommended contacting Tom Irwin Advisors. I couldn’t have been more grateful to meet with Brian Luccini and Ian Lacy. Together we started a Feasibility Study and created a maintenance & turf management plan for the space.
Working with Tom Irwin and having set a goal for getting our green spaces to a level where they are safe and sustainable for the future.
Reorganizing, developing, and implementing the field main tenance plan and renovating Berwick’s Memorial Field in a 3-Phased Project.
Working at Memorial Park in Berwick, ME
Angela, Gary, and family.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT • continued 18 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022
BaseLine BaseStation Irrigation Management WiFi Controller: BEST THING EVER! I can use an app to turn our irrigation system off and on, have Smart Water Solutions monitor it, and I am notified immediately if there is an issue.
What advice would you share with people starting out in sports turf management today?
What have you enjoyed most about being a NESTMA member?
I am honored and humbled to be in the Blade spotlight!
• TheTurfZone.com is the central hub for turfgrass research and information from multiple state turf associations.DOZENSofUpcomingEventsAnnual555,000+DigitalPageViews167 ISSUES of Turfgrass371Magazines Podcasts and Many More to Come! facebook.com/theturfzone sales@leadingedgecommunications.comtwitter.com/theturfzone888–707-7141ContactustodaytolearnabouteffectiveanduniqueTurfZonemarketingstrategiesthattargetturfindustryprofessionals.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your fellow NESTMA members?
Be patient, pay attention to detail, and follow through. Don’t always think of the immediate fix. Think long term about how to best maintain and sustain turfgrass at your facility. Keep in mind that communities and user groups often don’t understand the expense and how much goes into maintaining turf, especially natural turf. Having walked into a facility where a lot of bandaids were put on, it is taking a lot of time to help our community understand how to maintain a major facility. Don’t be afraid to use your resources and ask for help. The best thing about sports field management is that everyone wants everyone to succeed and see improvement in their work. Use that to your advantage and you’ll grow both professionally and personally.
What’s your favorite equipment / technology?
I am training Bauer to be a comfort dog for children. I love the outdoors: hiking, kayaking or just relaxing, being with our family and watching the triplets play their sport of choice.
I have a partner (Gary) and 17-year-old step triplets (Aidan, Haley & Addie). We live in Freeport, Maine with our goofy yellow lab, Bauer (yes, we have hockey players in the family).
Obtaining knowledge and having the ability to reach out to colleagues to help with the growth and improvements at the facility that I manage. I also appreciate the new connections and friendships I have made throughout the years.
Can you share a bit about your family life and what you enjoy doing in your free time?
✓ Optimize playing conditions ✓ Maintain moisture levels ✓ Improve soil profile YOUR INFIELD WITH INFIELD SKIN MAINTENANCE In-Flow is a trademark of Precision Laboratories, LLC 1.800.323.6280 | www.precisionlab.com |
High use areas typically change by sport. Keep in mind that there are several high-use areas around the field that require varying levels of attention but, in this article, we are going to pay attention to some of the more impactful areas.
Infill depths should be performed regularly
Pay Attention to High Use Areas SyntheticinTurf
After testing and walking on hundreds of fields in my career, I’ve found that every field has a “lazy end”. This is the end closest to the gate or locker rooms. For whatever reason, coaches and athletes won’t walk to the far end of the field. They all practice on one side of the field. Practicing on one side of the field leads to high-use and more wear. Typically, the lazy end over time can have a 5mm – 10mm difference in infill. That difference can put a lot of stress on the synthetic turf fiber causing it to break down earlier than the other side of the field. On top of the lazy end, most synthetic turf fields are multi-use so those high use areas typically end up on top of each other. How to fix the wear at the lazy end? Simple rotations on the field can be an easy way to help a synthetic stay safer and last longer. Asking coaches to move practice to the other end of the field on a daily or weekly basis is ideal.
Field Hockey Penalty Corner Attacker’s Mark: This is one of the areas that most people miss. The right-side penalty corner attackers mark can have little to no infill if not properly cared for.
The dreaded Frankenturf
S
SYNTHETICCOLUMN:TURF 20 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022
Soccer Penalty Kick: The soccer penalty kick is another area that gets continuous use and needs regular infill. The continuous kicking motion and practice over and over again can remove all the infill from that area.
ports turf managers know that this time of year can be challenging. The fall sports season is in full swing, and the changing weather takes a toll on athletic fields. This is true on natural grass and synthetic turf fields. Athletes and coaches are creatures of habit. Their skills are built on consistency, repetition and sometimes superstition. Sports turf professionals are observant and pay attention to what is happening in every aspect of a field. Continuous use in certain areas will take a toll on any athletic field and synthetic turf is no exception.
What happens to most high use areas? Regardless of grass or synthetic turf, the area seems to break down the fastest due to the overuse. Synthetic turf fiber has memory. If the infill has a ½" reveal, the turf will potentially wear and breakdown at the ½" level. If the turf has a 1" reveal, the turf will potentially wear and breakdown at the 1" level. In high use areas, infill is consistently moving, and typically lowering, causing the fiber to be exposed to earlier wear and breakdown than the rest of the field. When not consistently maintained, infill can change from 10mm-15mm over the course of a year. It is very important to keep an eye on infill levels throughout the athletic season.
Center Dot: The center dot of the field is another area that is highly impacted on the field. A wide range of sports are played there but, the lacrosse face-off can really move infill in that area.
By Arthur Eddy, ASLA, LEED AP
Lacrosse Goal Mouths: The lacrosse goal mouth areas for men and women are both extremely high use areas and if not paid attention to properly can be detrimental to the turf. This area has the most movement of infill so much so that it can get down to the backing. The constant chopping of the feet of the goalie continuously moves infill.
2. Infill depths from across the field should be recorded and logged to follow impacts on the field and provide a guideline for proper replenishment.
Infill levels are critical to the performance, safety and longevity of synthetic turf. Here are some infill tips:
3. Infill should be regularly added to these areas by first brushing with a stiff fiber broom or a steel tined rake to get the fiber to stand up and allow the infill to settle into the turf. Then simply broadcast spread a 5-gallon bucket of infill over the areas and use the broom or rake to work the infill into the high use areas. Continue this process and check infills with the depth gauge as you go.
1. High use areas should be checked a minimum of every other week during their respective seasons. Investing an infill depth gauge is the best tool to have to measure infill.
Fall 2022 • New England BLADE • 21
By now you all know that these synthetic turf fields are not “no maintenance” and just because the field is green, doesn’t mean it is performing. Don’t ignore proper care and maintenance of your field. I cannot tell you how many times we get asked to review a high use area when it is already too late. This begins the cycle of what we like to call “Frankenturf”. Patching and replacement are always a challenge as the turf will never be the same exact pile height or UV wear. Take the extra time to and pay attention to the field to avoid “Frankenturf”.
• Adding Infill in High Use Area Arthur Eddy is CEO of RePlay Maintenance in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Connect with Art at aeddy@replaymaintenanceusa.com or (877) 641-1819. WWW.PROGRESSIVETURFEQUIP.COM 800.668.8873 Better Built. Quality Results. Period. Quality built in North America and supported by a world-wide Dealer network. Tri-Deck cutting widths: 12’, 15.5’, 22’*, 36’* Roller Mower cutting widths: 65”, 90”, 10.5’, 12’, 15.5’, 22’*, 29.5’* Contour/rough finishing mower: Pro-Flex™ 120B 10’ cut TDR-X™ roller mower 10.5’ cut Progressive Turf builds the right mowers and rollers for any field. For over 30 years they have set and re-set the standards in commercial grade mowing equipment. Contact your Progressive Dealer to find out why Progressive products are outstanding in any field! * available with bolt-on galvanized deck shells Turf ProductionGrassMowersContour / Rough Finishing Mowers Sports field, Park and Estate Mowers
rganizations fail to thrive when their people don’t have the skills and knowledge to perform at the highest level. As turfgrass professionals, we understand that the right environment allows plants to grow to their full potential. But what does a growth environment look like for an employee? Could it be that our team would have more success if the culture was more conducive to employee development?
For business leaders, the return on investment is clear. Paying for employee development will reap massive return on efficiency, profit, and retention. Setting a budget for each employee’s growth is the first step. One of the best ways to do this is by organizational level. Front line employees may be eligible for one hour per week of paid training on-the-job. Crew leaders may be given access to an online platform like GrowTheBench.com in addition to their paid training time. Mid-level managers may be eligible to attend one conference annually. Senior level leaders should perhaps have an executive coach or academic program budgeted.
GrowTheBench.com
Only about half of all employees globally strongly agree that they have had opportunities to learn and grow in the past year according to Gallup. Yet the ones who do work harder and more efficiently, return 9% higher customer loyalty and 10% higher profit than undeveloped employees. What’s more, employees who are given the right growth opportunities are twice as likely to spend their career with their organization.
No matter how you choose to develop your team, you’ll never regret the investment if you commit to consistent, intentional, and individualized development.
•
Neal Glatt is the Managing Partner of GrowTheBench, an online training platform for the green industry. You can learn more about him and his solutions at www.NealGlatt.com.
OCultivatingEmployeeDevelopmentByNealGlatt,
Finally, employee growth must be ongoing from onboarding through promotion. Growth and development are a long and slow process where consistency breeds the best outcome. Teams which maintain intentional time for growth even during busy seasons are the ones which find the greatest return. Those who only invest in themselves when convenient are often frustrated by a lack of results. When employees stop being developed, they tend to look elsewhere for work. In fact, 93% of the time that employees changed their role, they left their organization to do so. It’s clear that growth will lead to retention if it’s continuous.
Whatever budget is set, there are three keys to selecting the right employee development opportunities for each person. First, employee development must be individualized to the employee. That means it should be relevant to their role at the company with tangible outcomes in their current and future responsibilities. But it also means that leaders must consider the motivations, strengths, and blind spots of each worker. Nothing is more exhausting than training that feels remedial, so letting each person help select their developmental plan will create the greatest buy-in from everyone. These conversations should be collaborative and encouraging.
Second, development must be intentional. The reason that most people never grow is because their progress is never discussed or encouraged. When time isn’t set aside purposefully, development simply doesn’t happen. A stagnant organization is one that has not expressly prioritized employee growth. Part of intentional developmental opportunities is having goal setting and accountability. Just like in horticulture where we would never plant a tree and then expect it to grow without frequent check-ins to adjust for changing conditions, each employee needs to be encouraged and checked-in with weekly.
PROFESSIONALCOLUMN:DEVELOPMENT 22 • New England BLADE • Fall 2022
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