INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
CAREER PATH When asked what drew them to a career in this industry , and why they chose sports field management over golf course management or other green industry careers , many respondents indicated that they had a background in baseball or other sports and wanted to remain close to the sport they love .
“ I chose to work in professional sports because of my love of baseball and trying to find a way to stay around it my whole life without having to play ,” said one respondent . “ Golf was not something I found appealing because of the lack of off days and the very early hours .”
Another replied , “ My interest in the industry began when I was searching for colleges to play soccer at . I grew up playing baseball and had a passion for manicuring the baseball diamonds before and after games or practices . My brother and I also started our own neighborhood landscaping business , which led me to pursue a major and career in turfgrass .”
Another respondent said they landed in this industry by accident . “ When I started at a previous job , we did not have a sports field manager ,” they said . “ It began with me just doing simple tasks like mowing sports fields . Once our sports field manager and assistant were hired , I helped them to not be as short-staffed and eventually found myself becoming more and more interested in the industry .”
I love reading everyone ’ s turf origin story . They are all so unique , but share a common theme ; the industry fell into our laps and we got bit by the bug . The passion we all share for our industry and our fields is one of the best things we have working for us .
HIGHER EDUCATION AND INTERNSHIPS One-third ( 33.3 %) of respondents have earned a 4-year degree in turfgrass management , turfgrass science , plant and landscape systems or a related major . Another 24.2 % have earned a 2-year degree in a turfgrass-related major , and 30.3 % are currently working on their degree . Responses were mixed from those who have earned their degree or are working on their degree regarding whether the courses required for their degree have adequately prepared them to be a successful sports field manager .
This is intriguing because it begs the question “ is college really worth it ?” Everyone ’ s situation is different , but I ’ m glad to see field managers are being successful no matter their education . I hear a lot of people say they learn more on the job than they did in the classroom , and responses to our survey certainly align with that statement .
“ I feel the most valuable preparation you can get is by doing things hands-on ,” said one respondent . “ I think the courses give you good background knowledge on the ‘ whys ’ of everything , but the best way to really learn is to get your hands dirty and do it yourself . I feel our curriculum alone does not prepare us for the industry .”
Another respondent echoed those sentiments , “ There were a lot of courses that felt sort of unnecessary . I would not recommend doing a 4-year degree . Mine has yet to pay off , and I would be in the same position I am if I had just gotten an associate degree or certificate .”
Said another , “ I did my degree online , so I didn ’ t get any hands-on experience , but they did a good job in teaching the theory of it with PSU World Campus . I learned more in my first year as an intern than all of my turf classes combined .”
One respondent who felt their education prepared them for the industry said , “ I got my education at Iowa State University , and they do an amazing job at emphasizing the value of getting your hands dirty . There were times I would learn about something in my classes and then that same day go to work for the athletic department and do that exact thing . That combination of learning sportsfieldmanagementonline . com August 2024 | SportsField Management
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