FIELD OF THE YEAR COLLEGE SOCCER
SportsField Management ( SFM ): What are you most proud of with FOY win , and / or what do you think stands out most about the winning field ? Bruce Suddeth , CSFM : I am most proud of the USC Upstate sports field crew , better known as # TheUCrew , for their hard work and resiliency to adversity . Achieving the SFMA FOY never gets old , and receiving this award feels like the first . The USC Upstate County University Soccer Stadium ( CUSS ) has gone through many upgrades and retrofits over the years , and continues to be a premium soccer pitch in our conference . It is always great to hear from our coaches , athletes and competitors when they express their appreciation for a great playing surface .
SFM : What attracted you to a career in sports field management , and what has been your career path through industry ? Suddeth : I grew up on a farm in South Carolina , and learned early on how to plant , grow and harvest a crop . I think by the time I was 8 or 10 I was on a tractor . My first job was at the age of 16 when I went to work for a local golf course during the summer and after school . The superintendent taught about things such as aerification , irrigation and various turf management techniques . At that time , I never thought that later in life it would resurface . After high school and then in college taking business courses , I thought I wanted to own a motorcycle shop . I was heavily involved with dirt bikes and motocross . But to do that you have to have a revenue stream , so I went to work at a local chemical plant . After a stint in manufacturing , I moved on to R & D . Little did I know the chemical plant made products for turfgrass applications , and after a few years I worked my way into that product line . While doing so , I continued taking horticulture classes at Spartanburg Community College , obtaining my degree , and learning how to understand and make sense of what I had previously been taught on the farm and golf course . It all clicked , and I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life . By
- Darren Seybold - Univ . of Tennessee Director of Sports Surface Management
“ As far as cold tolerance , staying greener longer into the season , that is definitely something we noticed . If we can get less ryegrass here at the stadium which gets used once every 14 days , you know that ’ s a big benefit for us late in the season .”
After researching different bermudagrass varieties and looking for something that would stay greener longer in the climates of East Tennessee , the University of Tennessee selected Latitude 36 for historic Neyland Stadium . Latitude 36 is a top quality rated , cold-hardy bermudagrass developed by renowned Oklahoma State University that offers high traffic tolerance and excellent tensile strength . Latitude 36 also has a dark green color and fine texture which makes it a good choice for a collegiate sports field aesthetically and functionally .
sportsfieldmanagementonline . com August 2024 | SportsField Management
13