INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

For insight into the state of the sports field management industry , SportsField Management recently interviewed STMA Immediate Past President Jimmy Simpson , CSFM , facilities coordinator , Town of Cary ( N . C .).

SportsField Management ( SFM ): What is the lasting impact of 2020 on the industry , and how should sports field managers approach 2021 and beyond ?

Simpson : The lasting impact of 2020 for me is the connection to others , both inside and outside of our industry . Connectivity has always been there in some form or fashion , but I think 2020 emphasized the need for our industry to continue growing and changing . This change is not only necessary to stay relevant to our peers , but to remain relevant and essential to our employers , decision makers and politicians . STMA worked hard in 2020 to use connections outside of our industry to share the message that sports field managers are resilient and here to help provide safe , playable athletic fields in all situations , including a pandemic .

SFM : Beyond COVID-19 and recovering from the year that has been , what are the other key issues facing the industry , and what is your advice for facing those issues ?

Simpson : I think we have three major issues that face us as an association and an industry . While these issues are not new , they need to be addressed to continue our forward movement . The issues as I see them are the lack of diversity within our industry , the declining labor pool , and lack of industry promotion .

Jimmy Simpson , CSFM

I think part of the solution to all of these issues lies in increasing awareness of our profession and its many employment opportunities . There are millions of athletes across the world , from all walks of life , who would love to work in the sport that they play in high school . Sports field management is a great way to “ stay in the game ” beyond just being an athlete . I think that is an untapped market of students for our industry to reach out to and expose them to all the sports field industry has to offer . If we can effectively reach that audience , then we can make strides working on these three major issues as I see them today .

SFM : What is your message to the next generation of sports field managers ?

Simpson : My message to the next generation is very simple , and it comes from my own personal reflections on my career . We learn from our mistakes and then call that experience . Throughout my career , I always felt that if I went unnoticed , then I was doing my job . The problem that I have later learned is that if you go unnoticed , then you run the risk of not having a voice when it matters . The advice I would give to the next generation is to stay humble , but do not be afraid to share the great work that you and your team do to help your organization . Positive communication with not only your sports field team , but with the administration about what you and your team are doing , can be very effective at helping you find your seat at the table .

SFM : Through virtual meetings and other avenues of information sharing , STMA and its members have helped each other deal with many new challenges during the past year . What have been the biggest positives to come out of 2020 , and how can the lessons learned help everyone moving forward ?

Simpson : The biggest positive is the increased recognition of resilience and dedication that all sports field managers exhibit . I have seen more social and traditional media placements on the efforts of field managers around the world this year than ever before . These articles have highlighted not only the regular field work that is completed , but the “ other duties as assigned ” work that field managers handle every day . Ultimately , this year proved outside of the industry what we already knew inside the industry — sports field managers are resilient and essential to the operations of their teams , facilities , municipalities , schools and businesses all over the world . SFM

32 SportsField Management | February 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com