FIELD OF THE YEAR COLLEGE FOOTBALL fortunate our staff was essential and able to stay working through the whole process . With all the sports being suspended , this allowed us additional time to be on the fields . We were able to transition out of our winter overseeding a month early , and really concentrate on our bermuda . It gave us a chance to get a few additional cultural practices in on all of our fields . We definitely utilized our growth regulators as much as we could to relieve any additional pressure on our equipment . We were able to address some of the other areas that don ’ t receive as much attention throughout the course of the year . Our responsibilities really stayed the same when we were able to start up our fall sports — just without as many people in the stands . It was a relief to be headed in the right direction with events able to go on . In the beginning of the shutdown , we adjusted some of our nutritional and pesticide applications since the turf wasn ’ t being stressed , used , and pushed as much as it is when there is activity on it . The university did a great job of staying ahead of safety protocols , and allowing us to continue working in a safe environment with all of the unknowns of what was to come with COVID .
SFM : Beyond COVD-19-related challenges , what are the biggest challenges you have faced with Bobby Bowden Field , and how have you approached those challenges ?
DENSON : After taking over the field a few years ago , and running all our tests on it , we identified a few major problems we have been working to address . The age of the field and layering in the 18 years of biomass buildup are major things we have been working to improve . The field still maintains its ability to drain well during a heavy rain , but our infiltration rates are greatly reduced in the top several inches . We have been working with an aggressive aerification and topdressing program to try to aid in the layering , and increase our drainage in the top several inches . This has already shown major improvements in root growth and water movement . Lance nematodes have been , to say the least , a difficult problem to work with . There are other problematic nematodes present — they have just shown good response to treatments . Numerous tests were done to monitor the counts of the lance , and , even after chemical treatments , counts would continue to increase . At some points , we reached higher than 10 times the recommended thresholds for lance . We have since pushed an aggressive biological program in the field , and have seen counts drop back into the threshold limits . With these two challenges addressed and improving , our root mass , recovery time , strength during play , general aesthetics , and overall plant health have improved greatly . Another challenge that has been fun to work with is the turf variety . Bobby Bowden Field is an original 419 bermuda field , but has had a Northbridge center installed in past years . Although both are similar bermudagrasses , they each have different growing characteristics . We have worked to try different cultural practices to keep the playing surface uniform , and we have also worked with different nutritional inputs to try to match the colors of the different bermudagrasses .
SFM : What ’ s the greatest pleasure you derive from your job ?
DENSON : It ’ s the few minutes I am able to stop and look back on what has been accomplished with the crew . It gets busy , and a lot of time and work go into preparing any of these fields for competition . These fields take a beating through the course of the year . Sometimes it is hard to stop and look back at the finished product and really see what has been accomplished . To see the grass striped up , the paint shining , crisp edges , recovery from previous events , and all the other small details we work on with the crew , that ’ s as good as it gets . It takes everyone on our staff to make this operation go . Each individual has their responsibilities , their strengths , their input ; but , when you get that few minutes to look back at what the team has come together and assembled with all the other duties , deadlines and activities going on , that ’ s as close to perfection as it gets .
SFM : How has your career benefited from being a member of STMA ?
DENSON : STMA has been a resource for me to user over my 20-plus years in the industry . I have utilized information published that has increased my knowledge in numerous aspects of the industry . STMA has also helped me make contacts and relationships , at both the local and national levels , that have grown over the years . SFM sportsfieldmanagementonline . com July 2021 | SportsField Management
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