Our staff is committed to player safety, environmental sustainability and community impact. At Westminster, we are very fortunate to have more available resources than most K-12 independent day schools, but with those resources comes a high level of expectation. When guests step onto our campus, our football field is one of the first things they see. Our grounds team adheres to a detail-oriented maintenance schedule that ensures the field remains in optimal condition throughout the year. We bring a professional approach to field maintenance at a K-12 level. Player safety is our number one priority. This past year we have started using a TDR moisture meter to ensure great footing condition for our players. This has also helped us with our irrigation strategies to get the correct amount of water on the playing surface. Working with our athletics department, I will never put athletes on our field if the conditions are not right for them to perform at their highest level. With our approach to maintenance we have not had to many cases of unfavorable conditions. Having people buy in to a safe and playable natural grass field is a huge accomplishment.
– Jake Mays, grounds an athletic field manager
Level and category of submission: Schools & Parks Football
Field manager: Jake Mays
Title: Grounds and athletic fields manager
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Turfgrass Management
Experience: Worked on fields as a youth and through high school. Attended Virginia Tech for Turfgrass Management. Summer intern for the Boston Red Sox in 2017. Summer intern for the Washington Nationals in 2018. Season-long internship with the Seattle Seahawks’ practice facility in 2019. Took a position as the head sports turf manager at the Lovett School. Then as head groundskeeper with the Fredericksburg Nationals in 2021. Worked with Nolan Thomas and Company in sports field construction. Then grounds and athletic fields manager at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta.
Original facility construction: 1955
Full-time staff: Bret Thatcher, Jake Farrell and Chris Poynton
Turfgrass: 419 bermudagrass
Overseed: We have used Latitude 36 or Tahoma 31 in any resodded wear spots.
Rootzone: Sand
Drainage: Vertical drain lines length of the field on 40-foot spacing
SportsField Management (SFM): Congratulations on the Field of the Year win. What are you most proud of with this win?
Jake Farrell, campus and athletic fields groundskeeper: Field of the Year was a goal our team set its sights on early in the year. We knew it would require attention to detail and going the extra mile — but we didn’t realize just how long that mile would become. Despite torrential rain from Hurricane Helene, which caused historic flooding and left our field submerged under more than six feet of water, our team — armed with a “can-do” attitude — pulled together to achieve what I’m most proud of: hosting a home game just 14 days later. Once the rain stopped, it took about two days for the water to recede, leaving a 4-inch layer of thick silt and mud on our bermudagrass field. Our grounds crew, coaches, athletic staff, and even the transportation department sprang into action with the shared goal of hosting the season’s final home game. Our progress became more visible every day, and hope began to glimmer. I am proud to say that we prepared the field not only to be safe but to exceed expectations. Without the dedication and teamwork of the grounds, athletic and transportation departments, this achievement would never have been possible.
SFM: What were the biggest challenges you have faced with the winning field, and how have you approached those challenges?
Bret Thatcher, campus and athletic fields groundskeeper: One of the biggest challenges, without a doubt, was the flooding from Hurricane Helene. When faced with nature’s power, humility is essential. While we rely on forecasts, and are thankful for those who provide them, sometimes Mother Nature presents the toughest challenge. In the end, it was our teamwork that allowed us to overcome the damage and rise to the occasion.
SFM: Can you share a little about your overall management approach to the winning field and what you feel have been the most important aspects to getting this field to an award-winning level?
Farrell: This field serves as the center for our sporting events — football, soccer, lacrosse and track — and it is used to its fullest potential every year. Our approach focuses on providing a safe and consistent surface for every athlete who steps onto it. By diligently following our agronomic program and paying attention to the little things throughout the year, we achieve this consistency. Lowering the height of cut on the ryegrass in spring and removing as much as possible through cultural practices before resorting to chemical treatments has improved recovery in our bermudagrass year after year. During the summer, aeration and verticutting as needed help ensure the field enters the season as healthy as possible, ready to host 15 or more football games plus additional practices.
SFM: Can you share a bit of insight into what the Field of the Year application process was like for you, as well as any tips you might have for other sports field managers?
Thatcher: The Field of the Year application truly highlights the work that goes into maintaining a top-quality playing surface throughout the year — not just in photographs. One piece of advice: track your performance and maintenance practices throughout the year — it will make the application process much smoother. This program is a fantastic way to spotlight the efforts of field managers, and I hope SFMA continues to recognize their dedication for many years to come.
The Field of the Year Awards program is made possible by the support of sponsors Carolina Green, World Class Athletic Surfaces and The Aquatrols Company.