ON-FIELD ARTISTRY

The Sports Field Management Association ( SFMA ) recently named Nick Miller , field and grounds coordinator for the City of Aurora Parks and Recreation Department ( Aurora , Ohio ), as the winner of the 2022 SFMA Mowing Patterns Contest . The winning field is located at Hartman Park in Aurora , Ohio .

SportsField Management recently asked Miller about the winning design .

SPORTSFIELD MANAGEMENT ( SFM ): Please tell us a little bit about yourself , your crew and the fields / facilities you manage . MILLER : I am the field and grounds coordinator for the City of Aurora Parks and Recreation Department . I was born and raised in the City of Aurora , and have been working in the “ green industry ” all of my life . I graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Horticulture . I started my career working in the golf industry for 10 years at the Walden Country Club . That experience provided me with the foundation of my career and the knowledge I use daily . After my time in the golf industry , I worked for The Davey Tree Expert Company as an irrigation technician for the Commercial Grounds division and was promoted to production manager . I was then hired with the City of Aurora as the field and grounds coordinator .

Our department consists of two full-time staff members – Micky Cook and me – along with a few seasonal staff members throughout the year . My department is responsible for the maintenance of 16 ballfields and 15 acres of soccer fields throughout the

30 SportsField Management | February 2023 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com