Virginia SportsTurf Managers Association VSTMA Field Days June 17 & 18 RF&P Park ~ Glen Allen ~ Virginia SIDELINES INSIDE Dean’s Field Days Yankees vs Infill Field Day Field Days Calendar Letter Schedule Hokies Insecurity Supporters Registration 2008 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WWW.VSTMA.ORG 2nd Quarter - 2008 From the President: Field Days on the Horizon STMA was very sorry to fertilizer application legislation. Vhear of the sudden death of Frankie Dingus, one of our onsider playing in the VSTMA Scholarship Fund members, on March 21, age CGolf Tournament which will be held on Tuesday 53. He was the groundskeeper morning (June 17) at the PGA Championship Belmont for the Manassas Park School Golf Course. Sign up soon and consider bringing a Board and was a referee with friend or employee to both events. the Bull Run officials for 15 Dean Whitehead, CSFM years. We wish his family well our new VSTMA supported Sports Turf Management VSTMA President during these difficult times. ybook will be sold during Field Days. If you would like to purchase a case of 24, let us know (vstma@vstma. ield Days are nearly upon us and we are all busy org) so that we will have plenty on hand. The price will Fwith the “Spring-ing” of our sports fields. As soon be $24.95 per book. This will save you the shipping as we overhaul our equipment, sharpen the blades, and handling fee, a difference of $6.25/book. and finally feel caught up with work, the grass starts to grow, weeds start to sprout, and the games begin. look forward to seeing you very soon at RF&P IPark. e hope you will take time on June 17 and 18th to join us at the beautiful RF&P Park located at Glen Best regards, W Dean Allen, County of Henrico. I know there will be lively Christopher Newport University discussions about the possibility of lead in artificial 757 594-8416 [email protected] turf as well as the implied impacts of the new Virginia VSTMA Ad.2008:VSTMA Ad.2008 2/12/08 9:14 AM Page 1 Proudlly Serviiciing Viirgiiniia’’s Sports Turf for Over 30 Years ROANOKE, VA RICHMOND, VA Telephone: 540-344-2699 SOUTHSIDE Fax: 540-343-1484 Telephone: 804-744-5445 Toll Free: 800-876-2151 Fax: 804-744-9899 Jared Russell (Cell): 540-537-6748 Toll Free: 888-559-3528 WESTEND CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA Telephone: 804-754-3590 Telephone: 434-979-8873 Fax: 804-754-7179 Fax: 434-296-9005 Toll Free: 888-559-3528 Kyle Bickling (Cell): 540-537-2578 Bruce Adwell (Cell): 804-640-8867 WILLIAMSBURG, VA Telephone: 757-253-8873 Fax: 757-253-8877 Neil Jones (Cell): 757-273-2057 Meadowspring Turf | Charles City, VA | 804.829.2696 2 www.vstma.org Field Days 2008 Schedule ~ June 17 & 18 RF&P Park ~ Glen Allen Hosted by County of Henrico, Virginia Tuesday, June 17: Wednesday, June 18: • 10 AM-1 PM: Scholarship Golf Tournament at • 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: “Pre-Game” Registration, Belmont Golf Course Coffee Hour, & Vendor set-up. • 3 - 5 PM: Registration and Tour of the RF&P • 8:00 AM - 8:10 AM: “Kickoff” Athletic Facilities • 8:15 AM - 11:15 AM: Seminar Sessions • 5 - 6 PM: Q & A session with Dr’s Mike Goatley • Covering Athletic Fields - Jason Bower & Josh McPherson & Erik Ervin of Virginia Tech. • County Athletic Park Maintenance - Ray • 6 - 8 PM: Tailgate Reception. Tournament results Pauley of County of Henrico Recreation & will be announced. Parks. • Fertilizers & Virginia Regulations - Mike Goatley and VDACS Representative • Irrigation and Water Management - Erik Please register online: www.vstma.org or send in Ervin the form on back page. • 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Equipment Demonstrations VENDORS . Consider becoming a sponsor! • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Check out page 6. Sports Turf Management Order this book from Pocahontas Press before they run out. • Call 1-800-446-0467 • Fax (540 961-2847) • Mail Form: www.vstma.org or www.pocahontaspress.com The book costs $31.20, includes tax and shipping. Shipping for a book is $5, and for each additional book is $0.50. Books will be sold at Field Days, June 17 and 18th www.vstma.org 3 NY Yankees vs Hokies: The Sports Turf Manager’s Vantage Point f you were told you had six months to get ready for the Yan- March 3, but prior to their arrival, Underwood and his crew had Ikees, would that be enough time for you to prepare your field? to spread a gravel base. Probably -- if your ball field was set up to host he rented stands as well as the older per- major league baseball games; however, this was Tmanent seating would not accommodate far from the usual request for managers of Vir- all of the attendees. The stretch behind third ginia Tech’s English Field, Sports Turf/Athletic base, which is referred to as “the hill,” had Grounds Manager Jason Bowers, CSFM, and been a favorite viewing site for students since Casey Underwood, director of outside athletic the field was constructed in the late 1980s. facilities. Converting the hill to terraced seating had ack in the early summer of 2007, the Yan- been on the books for years, and this was the Bkees offered to play an exhibition game perfect opportunity to make it happen. Plans against the Virginia Tech men’s baseball team in were finalized in October and clearance to memory of victims of the April 16th shootings start construction arrived in January 2008. To on Tech’s campus. Coach Hughes lobbied for keep within budget, Underwood was enlisted the game to be played at English Field, rather to excavate a base, work with a contractor to than in the nearby city of Salem, as initially sug- lay concrete architectural block, backfill the gested. By September, Bowers had a finalized terraces, and then lay sod. They had less than date and plans were set into motion for the one month, working 12+ hours per day, to ac- Yankees and Hokies to play seven innings on complish this task. On March 17th, a fraternity March 18, 2008. supplied a constant stream of strong backs to ome early September, Bowers’ staff had March 18, 2008 - NY Yankees Play Virginia Tech lay 18,000 sq ft. of sod, donated by Lavery Sod Cto deal with a Lane Stadium concert (Sep- Farm. Underwood was proud to report that tember 6th) for the university community, featuring the Dave when the Yankees arrived, 90% of the work was complete. Mathews Band, John Mayer, Phil Vassar and Nas. Worsham Field’s he day prior to the game, Carolina Greens built the new bull- bermudagrass survived the heavy traffic and week-long ground Tpen, and in true Hokie spirit, they graciously helped the staff covers with tolerable damage, just nine days before the Hokie with the final grading of the pitching mound. That morning, the football team played Ohio. This gave the VT staff a glimpse of the turf was mowed, the skin was groomed, seats were set, and the many man-hours they were going to spend on the Yankees event. field was painted with “Hokies,” flanked by the New York Yankees’ s soon as football season was over, Bowers and his assis- logo and by the maroon Atants turned their focus to the spring Yankees’ game. Bowers “We Remember” rib- and assistant Emerson Pulliman were confident that English Field bon. Bowers’ team was would be in fine shape; however, an adequate bullpen and ample more than ready, and seating for the 5,000 plus fans were needed. thrilled that the Yan- asked Bowers how they prepared the field for the Yankees. He kees were playing on Icasually remarked, “The same way we prepare the field for any their field. Bowers com- of the 30 games we host at English field.” He did note that they mented that there were spent extra time repairing irrigation ruts, divots and holes on more than 50 workers the turf and leveled the lips between turf and Alabama clay skin scurrying around the regions. It would not bode well if Derek Jeter turned his ankle complex that day. Terraced Seating on March 17, 2008, one day on their watch! Two he crowning event prior to the Yankees vs Hokie Game weeks prior to the exhi- Twas when the Yan- bition game, Roots (15- kee’s bullpen coach, Mike Harkey, commented to Bowers that he 3-8) and 0.25 lb/1000 really liked the new bullpen, as well as the pitching mound. These sq ft of N were applied occasions make sports field managers proud of their efforts and to encourage the cold supporting staff. It is the nature of the sports field manager’s work Kentucky bluegrass to that his efforts are noticed by the players but seldom publicly green-up. That was the recognized by the fans. The VT group’s professionalism shone easy part. through at this event, and they were pleased to “donate” a chunk eating for 5,000 plus of their lives to this game. From their perspective, the words from NY Yankees at English Field Swas a different story. that one coach helped to affirm their efforts. Bleachers to seat 2,500 people were set up by T&B Equipment down the first base side as well as in the outfield. T&B started erecting their stands on By Jody Booze-Daniels 4 www.vstma.org Infill Insecurity he recent moratoriums on infill field installation and the pl?id=3174) for lead on artificial fields provides primary source Toverall negative press coming out of New York and New facts.