PROFILE
ic that makes it a really enjoyable place where I can continue to have the additional responsibility I ’ m looking to have , and continue to grow as a manager and as a person .”
ON THE JOB
McKenna ’ s crew at Texas A & M is part of the athletic department , so its focus is on all Texas A & M intercollegiate and athletic playing surfaces .
“ We don ’ t have to deal with the rec sports fields , we don ’ t have to deal with campus grounds ,” he said . “ We get to solely focus on the athletic department fields and facilities . We are responsible for football , baseball , softball , soccer , track and tennis .”
The crew manages Kyle Field , Texas A & M ’ s natural grass football field ; two full-size natural grass practice fields for football ; an indoor synthetic field for football ; Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park for baseball ( which serves as both the practice field and playing surface ); Ellis Field for soccer ( practices and games ); two softball fields — Aggie
Softball Complex , and Davis Diamond , which is a new $ 29 million softball complex ; and a new track facility , as well as an older track complex .
“ It ’ s roughly 16 to 18 acres of highly maintained athletic playing surfaces ,” said McKenna .
The crew is also responsible for the landscaped areas inside and around the facilities , which is another 22 to 24 acres of general turfgrass areas .
The full-time crew consists of Craig Potts , CSFM , head athletic field maintenance manager , McKenna , and four full-time groundskeeper assistants — with one groundskeeper assistant assigned to each major facility ( football , baseball , soccer and softball ). The groundskeeper assistants are the eyes on the ground every day handling the day-to-day prep , which has freed McKenna up to be an umbrella over everything . Depending on the time of year and the season , personnel can be moved as needed to whatever the primary focus is for that day . sportsfieldmanagementonline . com February 2021 | SportsField Management
23