SCIENCE
2025 National Turfgrass Science Invitational
The inaugural National Turfgrass Science Invitational will take place February 3-5 , 2024 , during the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America ( GCSAA ) Conference and Trade Show in San Diego , with participants having access to professional development opportunities at the conference and trade show in addition to the competition . The event will alternate between the conferences of GCSAA and the Sports Field Management Association ( SFMA ) in future years .
This competitive event for high school agricultural education students will emphasize skills in turfgrass science . During the event , competitors will engage in individual and team activities on topics such as turfgrass identification , playing surface set-up , equipment operation and best management practices . They will also travel to a San Diego-area golf course for practicums , which test the handson and observational skills of the competitors .
The 2025 National Turfgrass Science Invitational is endorsed by FFA and open to FFA members . Teams are not currently required to qualify at the local or state level to participate in this invitational . Recognition of winners and teams who competed at the invitational will be held in conjunction with the GCSAA Conference .
According to Carson Letot , Ph . D ., event superintendent , turfgrass science , FFA national competitions have typically been diverse competitions that include everything from row crops to livestock to forestry . These events provide an outlet for students to showcase demonstrated knowledge and skill sets , and give them insight into what that would be like as a career choice .
Turfgrass has been well represented in the National FFA organization , but typically through proficiency award applications that showcase their supervised agricultural experience ( SAE ) in turfgrass .
Students would develop and build upon those proficiencies over time , and proficiency finalists for turfgrass science would be judged at the national level . However , despite the rich tradition of the proficiencies , there was never a national competition or career development event ( CDE ) for turfgrass .
According to Letot , in fall of 2023 , individuals from GCSAA , SFMA and university turfgrass science faculty members began discussing the possibility of a national competition centered on curriculum and needed resources . At that point , however , the conversations didn ’ t perpetuate into the invitational . Letot , who is an instructor at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst , North Carolina , and coordinator for the USGA Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program , leveraged his background as a former FFA advisor and member of the turfgrass industry to help launch this competition at the national level in partnership with an executive team .
“ I started planning and helping out . We have a really good executive leadership team ,” he said . “ Shelia Finney and Leann Cooper from GCSAA have been unbelievable advocates for this competition . Without them , this would not be happening . Will Waidelich and Madeline Young are the FAA emissaries who will observe the competition this year , help us out and give us guidance .
12 SportsField Management | January 2025 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com