3 minute read
Member Spotlight
2024 Sports Field Manager of the Year!
James H. DeLong
Parks SuperintendentCity of Woburn, Massachusetts.
How did you get your start in sports field management?
Around 1980 while I was coaching baseball and football, I took on the challenge of repairing the Woburn Athletic Fields that were falling into disrepair. My brother John and good friend John Day joined me in this effort.
Where did you go from there?
I have worked for the City of Woburn for 52 years. In my early years, I was an equipment operator and had a background in landscaping and farming. As a life-long Woburn resident, I have always considered myself lucky to work close to home and to be able to help remedy some of Woburn’s challenges.
What do you like best about your current position?
The biggest challenge in my position is to get young people involved in hard work and to show them how rewarding it can be. I feel fortunate to have had as many as 200 men and women work for me over the years who have gone on to be very successful in their vocations. They tell me it was their best professional experience. Today, I have a full-time crew who work with me every day: Steve Miele (35 years); Eric Scalesse (30 years); Jim DeLong (15 years); Dan Kiernan (10 years); and Mike O’Reilly (5 years).
Who are your mentors in the sports field management profession?
My mentors in the industry were Allie Wall, my old Woburn Superintendent of DPW and Woburn-resident Al Forester from Boston’s Fenway Park. My present-day guys are Brian Luccini from Tom Irwin Co. and Ed Olsen from Town of Needham, MA.
What advice would you share with people starting out in sports field management today?
If you dedicate yourself, you’ll find it so rewarding because you can always see results and progress.
What is the next game-changer you see on the horizon for the sports field industry?
Technology is a game-changer, but I believe that it doesn’t take over hard work, especially with equipment. I hope that young men and women will continue to take a big interest in our profession because it is a great industry.
Any industry-related volunteer service you’d like to share?
In Woburn, we have been involved in as many as 15 community events and fundraisers that make our city a great place to raise a family. I am a 30-year member, and two-term President, of our Kiwanis Club.
What’s your most useful piece of equipment?
As a dinosaur in the industry, my most useful equipment is my faithful tractor with my combo plane attachment. It’s truly magical at getting the work done!
Can you share a bit about your family life and what you enjoy doing in your free time?
My wife Diane and I have been married for 43 years. Our family includes our son Jim who works with me, our daughter Julie, son-in-law Mark, and grandkids Lukas and Charlee. I love playing golf with all my friends from 50 plus years ago.
What have you found most beneficial about being a NE-SFMA member?
Being in NE-SFMA is rewarding because of the networking and the help with procurement of equipment, goods, and services. Membership makes life easier for everyone involved.
NE-SFMA’s Board of Directors and members wish Jim all the best in his retirement from the City of Woburn, MA. We know he’ll stay an active member of our professional community.
