Developing the creative aspects of sports fields
ON-FIELD ARTISTRY
Artistic Expression
Developing the creative aspects of sports fields
By Drew Miller
In the sports field management industry , there are so many different components that go into the science and cultural practices for the overall management of natural grass playing surfaces . Still , one thing that stands out to the untrained eye is the crisp , bright stripes on the impeccable playing surface . Industry professionals have found that we are artists , and our fields are the canvas on which we paint with our brush — which happens to be a large piece of machinery
Throughout my career , there have been many field managers who have pushed the limits of the complexity of a design to the point where the finished product truly is a masterpiece . I have always loved to try different field designs since the beginning of my career , but I gained skills working for Matt Brown . Matt pushes the envelope when it comes to mowing patterns at the Major League Baseball level , putting logos in the outfield , including his iconic Roberto Clemente Bridge silhouette . He taught me what it takes to create these designs while maintaining a consistent playing surface . Matt taught me that the artistry behind striping was something that we took pride in , because , with the extra time , energy and care that goes into these unique patterns , we took pride in the product .
As director of the Brentsville Turfgrass Management Program , I have had the opportunity to see my students gain a passion for what we all love to do — and that is care for our fields the best we can . Something that I pride myself on in this program is giving our students ownership of the creative aspect of field care — from our paint scheme for our end zones to the mowing pattern for the soccer state title game . Seeing how creative they
All photos provided by Drew Miller
are is truly incredible . It is great to see how they develop different designs by reviewing the everyday work of industry professionals . Our students truly love to study other
24 SportsField Management | July 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com