FIELD OF THE YEAR SCHOOLS AND PARKS FOOTBALL
Level and category of submission : Schools and Parks Football Field manager : Zachary Horsley Title : Sports turf tech III Education : Some college
Experience : In 2014 , I started at the Liberty University grounds department in campus landscaping . In January 2016 , my manager , Brian Hinkley , CSFM , moved me over to the sports turf crew .
I started out in an entry-level role doing various tasks at all of our facilities as needed . In this role I really learned to do nearly all aspects of the job . I found a great passion for sports turf and was sent to the Virginia Turfgrass Short Course in 2017 .
In 2018 I was promoted to a lead position over our Division I FBS football program and the football / soccer fields that we manage at Liberty Christian Academy ( LCA ), adjacent to Liberty University ( LU ), and that is what I have been doing since .
It has been a great experience being able to manage both NCAA and high school fields . Through learning on my own time , Brian Hinkley , the Sports Field Management Association and my state chapter , the Virginia Turfgrass Short Course with The Virginia Turfgrass Council , the Virginia Certified Fertilizer Applicator program , and getting to learn a lot on my own ; I have only worked at one organization but have had a very full career thus far in these seven years . I have been able to work all Division I sports at Liberty and I ’ ve definitely found my home in this industry on a natural turf playing surface .
Original construction : 2007
Turfgrass : The field is comprised of several varieties of bermudagrass that have been brought in over the years for various jobs and purposes based on budget and availability ( Latitude 36 , Riviera , Patriot and Premier Pro ).
Rootzone : Clay Soil amendments : Sand / compost Drainage : Perimeter French drain system
12 SportsField Management | April 2023 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com