Q & A WITH PAMELA SHERRATT
Last month , Dr . Grady Miller did not write his usual agronomic column . He wrote about the pandemic and what it has done to our ability to feel connected as human beings . He finished by imploring us all to stay engaged , be prepared to adapt , and use our experiences to help others . The word “ adapt ” is the word I think we all need to embrace in 2021 , since I don ’ t think we are getting back to “ normal ” anytime soon . In fact , we may never get back to normal .
This is a time for us to evaluate how we do things , and make some changes . Jesse Potter , speaking at the seventh annual Woman to Woman conference in 1981 , said , “ If you always do what you ’ ve always done , you always get what you ’ ve always gotten .”
If you had a wish for the sports field management industry this year , what would it be ? Here are my wishes :
Wish # 1 : My first wish would be that vaccines roll out quickly to all , including children , and that infections decrease enough to allow us to engage with each other . A reduction in infections would also reduce the amount of times sports field managers are being tested for COVID . One friend told me that he gets tested two to three times per day if the team is at home . Most importantly , our children need to be back in school . As the parent of a middle schooler and high schooler , I can tell you that 12 months away from school has taken its toll . No child should be using the word “ depressed ,” but sitting at a computer for 6.5 hours a day will do that to you . The opposite of happiness is boredom , after all . As adults , we need human interaction too . Our mental and physical health depends on it .
Wish # 2 : Appreciation for sports field managers . Hopefully 2020 showed owners and administrators the importance of sports field managers . Who can forget the Reds grounds crew being revered by their team , or the many field managers we saw included in game celebrations ? 2020 provided the opportunity to see who did what in the organization , and administrators surely concluded that the people taking care of the playing surfaces were essential . I hope that leads to a place at the table where agronomic decisions are being made , with workable budgets and adequate personnel .
Wish # 3 : Prioritize wellbeing . For many , a welcome benefit of the past year was the opportunity to spend quality time with family . Let ’ s keep that going . There ’ s no reason sports field managers have to work themselves to death , sleep in their offices , and miss so much of their personal lives . Let ’ s put our wellbeing front and center .
Wish # 4 : Spread the love . 2020 reminded us that life is precious . So , ask yourself , what will your legacy be ? If nothing else , let it be kindness . Every young person should be positively influenced by a caring adult in his or her life , which , unfortunately , is not always the case . As sports field managers , there are opportunities to mentor young people and help them be successful . We can be a positive influence in each other ’ s lives too . A short thank you note , appreciative e-mail or a text of encouragement can mean a lot to someone who ’ s struggling .
Wish # 5 : Diversify our industry . I would love to see the sports field management industry represent U . S . demographics and embrace people of different genders , cultures , races , ethnicities and social-economic backgrounds . Many benefits of a diverse workforce have been identified : different perspectives bring new ideas and a wider talent pool , creativity and productivity increase , retention rates and employee satisfaction improve , and brand / reputation are enhanced . There are many ways we can do this , starting with initiatives from our national board of directors and trickling down to our state chapters and sports facilities . What can your team do to improve diversity ?
Please spend some time making your own wish list and come up with a plan to make it a reality . This is the perfect time to do it . SFM
Pamela Sherratt Sports turf extension specialist The Ohio State University
Questions ? Send them to Pamela Sherratt at 202D Kottman Hall , 2001 Coffey Road , Columbus , OH 43210 or sherratt . 1 @ osu . edu Or , send your question to Dr . Grady Miller , North Carolina State University , Box 7620 , Raleigh , NC 27695-7620 , or grady _ miller @ ncsu . edu
50 SportsField Management | February 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com