STMAinaction

STMA Northwest Regional Conference features top sports turf professionals

EATTLE HOSTED some sports turf VIPs July 21-22 as the Sports Turf Managers Association partnered with the Intermountain, SNorthern , Oregon, and Pacific Northwest chapters to produce an STMA Northwest Regional Conference that featured sports turf specific education, a trade show, hands-on demonstrations, and tours of some of the city’s major league facilities. The sponsors handed out Mariner tickets to the more than 175 attendees who enjoyed a beautiful evening at the ballpark while watching the home team beat the Chicago White Sox in extra innings. Attendees earlier that day had walked on the field (outside the lines of course!) while meeting with head groundskeeper Bob Christofferson and his crew during a tour of Safeco Field. Another highlight was a drop-in visit from new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll during the group’s visit to the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, the team’s practice facility and office in Renton. Carroll snuck up on an unsuspecting Seahawk fields & grounds manager Sean Vanos as he was leading a tour of the cool site on the shores of huge Lake and told the crowd how much he and his team appreciate the turf care. On another stop the group visited and lunched at Starfire Sports, a non-profit soccer complex in Tukwila, which was most impressive. The facility is open 24/7 and sees action from ’s Seattle Sounders and every other level imaginable. Here the group had a chance to meet with vendors and their number included several nation- ally known sports turf advocates, including Lynda Wightman of Hunter Industries, Boyd Montgomery of Toro, Christiaan Arends of Barenbrug USA, Jay Warnick of World Class and Charlie Vestal of Turface Athletics. Above: SCOTT MACVICAR, Grounds Supervisor for University of Starfire also allowed some painting demonstrations on one of their Washington Athletics, demonstrates how to paint a logo on synthetic turf. synthetic surfaces. Scott MacVicar from the University of Washington painted some logos while John Wright from the Seahawks and some of his guys showed how to remove those logos from the carpet. This regional event featured two other nationally recognized bigwigs in sports turf, Dr. Dave Minner from Ames, IA and Dr. Andy McNitt from State College, PA. Minner held court on repairing high traffic areas and presided over a lively give and take panel discussion on natural turf, while McNitt led the group covering synthetic turf issues. The event included a chance to get on the FieldTurf at Qwest Field and see some of the equipment the crew led by Jason Kingrey use on a surface that now serves as home of the MLS Sounders as well as the 12th Man-led Seahawks. Kingrey also presented on converting his field Above Left: DR. DAVE MINNER has put a lot of traffic on fields in preparing his talks on repairing high traffic areas of fields. Above Right: SEAHAWKS from synthetic to natural back to synthetic in a matter of days. COACH PETE CARROLL surprised turfman Sean Vanos (right) during a tour STMA’s 22nd Annual Conference & Exhibition will be in Austin, TX of the team’s training facility. January 11-15, 2011. For information see www.stma.org ■

Innovative Awards deadline is October 1 THE DEADLINE for STMA’s new Innovative Awards Program, October 1, ing surface is made safer or more playable. The STMA Awards is approaching. This program will recognize those member companies Committee will judge the entries and the winners will be announced that have a product, piece of equipment, a service or technology that during the opening of the STMA Exhibition Thursday, January 13, 2011 advances the profession. Specifically, entries will be judged on how well in Austin. For a complete description of the program and to access the the effectiveness of the sports turf manager is enhanced or if the play- on-line form, go to STMA’s home page, www.STMA.org. ■

www.stma.org SportsTurf 39 STMAinaction Terry Mellor Grant to be presented by SAFE, Turface Again this Year GAIN THIS YEAR the SAFE Foundation, Continuing Education Grant is November 15. judges the SAFE Scholarship winners each STMA’s philanthropic arm, will award All members of an STMA affiliated chapter are year, will be involved in the selection of this A the Terry Mellor Continuing Education eligible to win, and must be nominated grant’s winner. Go to www.stma.org/profes- Grant, sponsored by Turface Athletics. This through a letter of recommendation by a sionalism/schol to download the form. The $1,000 grant is intended to fund a portion of National STMA Member. Last year’s winner, form includes the criteria for eligibility and the winner’s attendance at the STMA Eddie Atherton of the City of Owensboro, KY guidance for writing your nomination. If you Conference in January. In addition to the was selected from a highly qualified and very have any questions about the SAFE Terry $1,000 grant, STMA will provide a complimen- active pool of applicants for his “outstanding Mellor Continuing Education Grant, sponsored tary conference registration to the winner, and dedication, efficiency and attitude.” Atherton by Turface Athletics, please contact STMA the winner will be recognized at the was also featured in the February 2010 issue of headquarters at 800.323.3875 or Association’s annual Awards Banquet. this magazine. [email protected]. ■ The deadline to apply for the Terry Mellor The STMA Scholarship Committee, who

Jeff Salmond, CSFM, Athletic Turf Manager, University of Oklahoma Benefits of certification verified Editor’s note: This is the third of six installments on how becoming a Certified Sports Field Manager (CSFM) can benefit turf managers professionally as well as improve their facilities.

How did you prepare for ism of the certification process step in the industry. Becoming the CSFM Exam? and supportive in my certified was a great way for Salmond: I got together all advancement to pursue certifi- me to advance what I had my turfgrass and soils books cation. A lot of the preparation learned in my schooling and and notes from college and for the exam took place in the use that education along with just began going through them evening hours away from my past work experiences to as a refresher. I acquired a few work. Since I decided to take help invoke professionalism pesticide books and studied the exam at the STMA Annual across our industry and in the from books in the library. I also Conference, there was a little daily workplace. used the CSFM exam guide- more time to prepare for the lines, competencies and prac- exam over Christmas during a How has certification tice exam that are online on less hectic work schedule. My helped your career? the STMA website. Discussing employer now is very support- Salmond: Attaining certifi- the exam with other CSFMs ive in maintaining certification cation has helped get me to along with a seminar at the and having a CSFM on staff. where I am today. Employers Annual Conference was very are now more familiarized with helpful. Why did you decide to the CSFM and use certification pursue certification? as a preferred requirement How did you approach Salmond: I received a when hiring. With having to your employer to support graduate degree, but was not maintain certification, it has your certification, in my nature to pursue an aca- allowed me to stay active in both financially and in demia career. Becoming a learning new things each and the time needed to pre- CSFM at the time was fairly every day, staying current with pare for the exam? new, but was a personal and the industry through CEUs Salmond: My employer professional goal of mine if I and ISPs and helping me understood the professional- wanted to get to that next serve with the STMA. ■

40 SportsTurf | September 2010 www.sportsturfonline.com STMAinaction Meet the Members who missed the Directory Printing

STMA’S ANNUAL PRINTED DIRECTORY is current Steven Biehl, Oswego, IL Jim Osborne, All Saints Episcopal School, Ft. Worth, TX through May 20. Any member who joins STMA or Andrew Bird, Rec Sports, Sparta, MI Eric Owens, Homewood Parks & Rec, Homewood, AL renews a membership, regardless of the date, is Scott Brooks, Trussville Parks & Recreation, Pinson, AL Walter Parker, Mansfield Public Schools, Mansfield, MA always included in the real-time on-line directory. Darin Budak, CSFM, CPRP, City of Bakersfield, Reed Pryor, City of Scottsdale Parks & Rec, Scottsdale, AZ Following are those who joined as new members or Bakersfield, CA Tim Purdy, University of Tampa, Tampa, FL renewed their memberships after the May cutoff Tim Burns, Longwood Cricket Club, Chestnut Hill, MA Ryan Radcliffe, Lakewood Blueclaws, Lakewood, NJ date. This list is current through August 4. For full Wayne Cady, City of Scottsdale Parks & Rec, Scottsdale, AZ Rusty Reese, City of Plainview, Plainview, TX contact information, please go to the member only Ben Carson, Juanita High School, Kirkland, WA Matt Rogers, Holly Springs, NC side of www.STMA.org. Rus Carter, City of Clearwater, Clearwater, FL William Rudometkin, California State University/Long STMA thanks all of its members for their continued Bob Christofferson, , Seattle, WA Beach, Montebello, CA support of the association! David Clausen Jr., Seattle University Grounds Dept, Roger Russomanno, City & County of Denver Parks & Rec, Seattle, WA Denver, CO Affiliate Richard Cooke, The Pingry School, Martinsville, NJ David Schilling, Paradise Valley SD #69, Phoenix, AZ Jim Hermann, Annandale, NJ Tony Cotter, City of Napoleon, Napoleon, OH Edward Sherman, Snohomish School District, Darren McCormack, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY Michael Coyle, Wright State University, Dayton, OH Everett, WA Joshua Sells, Charlotte Country Club, Indian Trail, NC Jesse Cuevas, Jr., Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha, NE James Smith, San Antonio, TX Zola Short, U.S. Soccer Foundation, Washington, DC Alfred Cybart, Upper Merion School District, Athanasios Souvlis, Anaplasi Topiou Ltd, Athens, Greece Troy Taylor, Meadowbrook HS, Richmond, VA King of Prussia, PA Brian Stallings, Durham Bulls Club, Raleigh, NC Anthony Davis, University of Technology-Jamaica, David Stuhlsatz, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS Commercial/Commercial Associate Members Kingston, Jamaica Bill Tabor, City of Rifle, Rifle, CO Tariq Ahmed, The Brickman Group, Langhorne, PA Brad Detmore, Round Rock Express, Missouri City, TX Nathan Torres, Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ Chris Bawcum, Trigon Sports International, Memphis, TN Daniel Dewey, BYU-Idaho, Rexburg, ID Jason Waldron, City of Scottsdale Parks & Rec, Michael Bean, Airfield Systems, LLC, Edmond, OK Brian Dossett, CSFM, Oxner Landscape Maintenance, Scottsdale, AZ Scott Bills, CSFM, Northern Nurseries, Somerset, NJ Piedmont, SC Tom Whitmore, City of Rifle, Rifle, CO Robert Blum, Lakewood, OH Scott Drayton, City of Greenville, Greenville, SC Alfred Williams, City of Coolidge Parks & Recreation, Thomas Burger, Superior Turf & Landscape, Furlong, PA Joshua Edgerton, Homewood Parks & Rec, Coolidge, AZ Dustine Callahan, Kromer Co, LLC, Pacifica, CA Homewood, AL Thomas Williams, Township of E Brunswick, Bruce Dees, Bruce Dees & Associates, Tacoma, WA Mike Echols, Clemson University, Clemson, SC East Brunswick, NJ Sharon DeWolfe, Jacobsen, A Textron Company, Pete England, Vista Soccer, Springfield, VA Michael Wilson, Professional Turf Specialties, Inc., Charlotte, NC Tim Fleming, City of Cooper City, Cooper City, FL Fullerton, CA Jeff Fisher, Eco Chemical, Inc., Seattle, WA David Fortier, Pace Academy, Atlanta, GA Tim Wilson, Seattle Mariners, Seattle, WA James Goebel, Landscapes Unlimited, Lincoln, NE Matt Fortier, Pace Academy, Atlanta, GA Robert Yaun, Ware County BOE - Memorial Stadium, Raul Gonzalez, Ewing Irrigation Products, Phoenix, AZ Wes Fortier, Pace Academy, Atlanta, GA Waycross, GA Kenneth Hopkins, Tropic Designs, Jonesboro, GA Patrick Francisco, Smith River Sports Complex, Neal Hornbeck, Pacheco Brothers Gardening, Hayward, CA Martinsville, VA Research, Teaching, Extension Clayton Hubbs, Stabilizer Solutions, Phoenix, AZ Peter Fusco, Bristol Public Schools, Bristol, CT Tom Bidart, Northern Lakes College, Chase Kirby, Championship Field Construction, Inc., Paul Greenwell, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Slave Lake, AB, CAN Woodstock, GA Lawrenceville, GA Jason Henderson, Ph.D., University of Connecticut, Skip Kirby, Championship Turf of Florida, LLC, Jason Hilderbrand, 66ers, Storrs, CT Woodstock, GA San Bernardino, CA Harold Howard, Ph.D., Turfscience, Inc., Phoenix, AZ Stuart Kruger, Enviro Turf, Madison, MS Barry Hill, Homewood Parks & Rec., Homewood, AL Jason Kruse, Ph.D., University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Casey Kyle, Carolina Green Corp, Ft. Mill, SC Chris Hohnstrater, The Principia School, St. Louis, MO Scott McElroy, Ph.D., Auburn University, Auburn, AL Malcolm MacDougall, Armacell LLC, Mebane, NC Michael Hrivnak, Washington Nationals, Washington, DC David Minner, Ph.D., Iowa State University, Ames, IA Patrick Maguire, Stantec Sport, Boston, MA Richard Hunter , Franklin Township Community School Mike Schrader, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN Grant McKnight, Natural Sand Company, Slippery Rock, PA Corp, Indianapolis, IN George Pacheco, Pacheco Brothers Gardening, Gary Johnson, Ohio Dominican University, Columbus OH Students Hayward, CA Greg Johnson , William Penn High School, New Castle, DE Joshua Alleman, Holt, MI David Renner, Zephyr Turfcare Equip, Santa Ana, CA Bradley Kirkland, Auburn University Athletics, Auburn, AL Mark Duzenski, Southern Pines, NC Chip Richardson, Sweetwater Construction, Inc., David Kuczynski, Somerset County Park Commission, Matthew Elmore, Knoxville, TN Helena, AL Northbranch, NJ Daniel Estel, Boyd, TX Frank Santos, Converted Organics, Inc., Boston, MA Brian Kusler, O.S. Memphis/Mike Rose Soccer Complex, Joshua Evans, Ft. Collins, CO Damon Sump, Profile Products, Newberg, OR Memphis, TN Davis Fisher, Lenoir, NC Jim Surrell, Hydraway, St. Peters, MO David Lee, Southern Nazarene University, Bethany OK James Garrett, Prince Frederick, MD David Taylor, STEC, Sandy Springs, SC John Lesperance, Litchfield School District, Litchfield, NH Brett Johnson, Hickory, NC Emory Thomas, Bare Spot Solutions, Wharton, TX Leo Liebert, Seattle Mariners, Seattle, WA Daniel Mathews, Xenia, OH Oscar Veloz, Pacheco Brothers Gardening, Hayward, CA Michael Loftus University of Delaware, Newark, DE Gerin Meissen, Winter Garden, FL James White, Southern Athletics Design & Consultation, Dan McClelland, The Principia School, St. Louis, MO James Michaels, Lenoir, NC Madison, GA Nathan McGuire, Zanesville, OH Michael Mosso, Lancaster, PA Stephen McIntosh , Mylan Park, Morgantown, WV Nathan Reddell, Martinsville, NJ Sports Turf Managers Brian McNeill, University of Southern Mississippi , Zachary Reed , Spencer, WV Bryan Barkley, Connecticut Tigers, Norwich, CT Hattiesburg, MS Kelly Roder, Lake Ozark, MO Kevin Bell, Clemson University - Athletic Grounds, Mark Mullendore, Trinity Valley School, Ft. Worth, TX Marcus Sheppard, Ft. Worth, TX Clemson, SC Newton Nicholson, City of Daytona Beach/Grounds Frank Smith, Myrtle Beach, SC Pete Benevento, Jr., University of Maryland, College, MD Maint. Div., Daytona Beach, FL Martin Volz, Mt. Pleasant, MI ■

42 SportsTurf | September 2010 www.sportsturfonline.com Chapters Highlights STMA Affiliated Chapters Contact Information

Sports Turf Managers Association of Arizona: Ohio Sports Turf Managers Association Chris Walsh [email protected] or (OSTMA): www.ostma.org. Johnathan Knight, CSFM [email protected]. Oregon STMA Chapter: 503/953-9406

Colorado Sports Turf Managers Association: Ozarks STMA: www.ozarksstma.org. www.cstma.org. Pacific Northwest Sports Turf Managers Florida #1 Chapter (South): Association: www.pnwstma.org. 305-235-5101 (Bruce Bates) Southern California Chapter: Florida #2 Chapter (North): 850/580-4026. www.socalstma.com. Profile: Oregon STMA Florida #3 Chapter (Central): 863-665-5800 South Carolina Chapter of STMA: July was a busy month for the Oregon STMA. In www.scstma.org. addition to helping make the STMA Northwest Gateway Chapter Sports Turf Managers Regional Conference a strong success, more than 25 Association: www.gatewaystma.org. Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers (See Expanded Profile included in Chapter Association (TVSTMA): www.tvstma.com. chapter members participated in the chapter’s first- Highlights) ever field make-over. The chapter is less than two Texas Sports Turf Managers Association: years old yet has 90 members and is growing. Georgia Sports Turf Managers Association: 866/897-8621. www.gstma.org. The field make-over was at Alpenrose Dairy in Virginia Sports Turf Managers Association: Portland, which hosts the Little League Softball Greater L.A. Basin Chapter of the Sports Turf www.vstma.org. World Series. During the series, the Softball World Managers Association: www.stmalabasin.com. Wisconsin Sports Turf Managers Association: Series Challenger Game is played. This game helps Illinois Chapter STMA: 847/263-7603. www.wstma.org. (See Expanded Profile mentally and physically challenged youth enjoy the included in Chapter Highlights) full benefits of Little League participation in an envi- Intermountain Chapter of the Sports Turf Managers Association: www.imstma.org. ronment structured to their abilities. Forming Chapters: Iowa Sports Turf Managers Association: Gulf Coast Chapter: 225/757-9136. www.iowaturfgrass.org. Indiana Chapter: Joey Stevenson, The many hands of the Oregon [email protected] Kentucky Sports Turf Managers Association: chapter were able to sod cut high www.kystma.org. Nevada STMA Chapter: 702/884-2987. areas, re-grade and sod the back Keystone Athletic Field Managers Org. (KAFMO/STMA): www.kafmo.org. STMA International edges, foul base lines, home plate Affiliate Organizations: mound circle and coaches boxes. Michigan Sports Turf Managers Association (MiSTMA): www.mistma.org. National Parks, Singapore: www.nparks.gov.sg

The field that this game is played on is primarily Mid Atlantic Sports Turf Managers Sports Turf Association, ON, CANADA Association (MASTMA) (formerly the www.sportsturfassociation.com for practice and often gets overlooked for consistent Chesapeake Chapter STMA) maintenance, so the goal of the field day was to get Ph. 410-704-2197 www.mastma.org Forming International the field in excellent shape. The many hands of the Affiliate Organizations: Minnesota Chapter STMA: www.mstma.com. Oregon chapter were able to sod cut high areas, re- Irish Institute of Sport Surfaces MO-KAN Sports Turf Managers Association: grade and sod the back edges, foul base lines, home Institute of Groundsmanship plate mound circle and coaches boxes. The chapter www.mokanstma.com. (See Expanded Profile included in Chapter Highlights) also worked on the game day fields, primarily on the irrigation system. Nebraska Sports Turf Managers Association: In addition to the chapter’s volunteers, the field 402/441-4425. Chapter Sponsors day was directed by Little League Softball World New England STMA (NESTMA): Series Tournament Groundskeeper Mike Hebrard, www.nestma.org.

Athletic Field Design, and had the commercial sup- Sports Field Managers Association of New port of Ewing Irrigation, Oregon Turf and Trees, Pro Jersey: www.sfmanj.org. Turf Solution, Profile Products, Target Specialty, Sports Turf Managers of New York: EnviroLogic Resources, Portland Parks, Tualatin Hills www.stmony.org. Park and Recreation, Willamalane Parks, and other local citizens. Alpenrose hosted an ice cream social at North Carolina Chapter of STMA: www.ncsportsturf.org. the end of the work day. The Chapter was recognized for its field makeover during the Challenger game Northern California STMA: August 14. ■ www.norcalstma.org.

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