PROFILE
Photo credit : Chris Gannon - ISU photographer
the people I met there . I wanted to give back in some way . Then I learned so much just from being on committees , just sitting in that room .”
As president , Thoms would like to see SFMA be the leader in education and information on playing surfaces ; find recruiting techniques to help with the shortage of labor in the industry ; and be a source that the media reaches out to when questions arise .
Thoms feels that SFMA hosting the 2026 National Turfgrass Science Invitational will be a big step toward getting young people involved , and letting them see the industry . SFMA is hoping 20 to 30 teams will attend the event , with more expected in future years .
“ Trying to teach people that we exist as an industry or a career is an uphill battle that we ’ ll always fight while trying to recruit the next generation . Anytime we can get exposure of the industry to younger people who are looking at careers and thinking about their future — that ’ s a win-win ,” he said . “ We also want to prepare members by providing some talking points for when they have the opportunity to meet with somebody who might be interested in the industry . Each of us can be ambassadors .”
With regard to media relations , SFMA is working hard to have well-placed content , especially for major events , such as the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup .
“ These are opportunities to point out that the fields are managed by professionals — opportunities we can build upon to show that we exist ,” said Thoms . “ We have opportunities to speak as well , and hopefully they would call us up first , as an organization , if they have a question about a field .
“ We should never turn down an opportunity to do an interview or a tour ,” he added . “ Our athletic department sportsfieldmanagementonline . com February 2025 | SportsField Management
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