SFMA IN ACTION program through our website. Once the application is completed, they receive information to guide them through the process of signing into Canvas to gain access to the content.”
The Turfgrass Management 101 course( https: / www. sportsfieldmanagement. org / knowledge _ center / turfgrass-science-curriculum /) is set up to provide basic knowledge in the core areas of turfgrass science. The curriculum offers comprehensive training in five units: Introduction to Turfgrass Science Turfgrass Growth and Development, Anatomy and Identification Turfgrass Soils Turfgrass Cultural Practices Turfgrass Establishment
ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Ongoing professional development, which is also hosted in Canvas, includes education on Interpersonal Skills; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Dynamic Meetings; and the SFMA Mentorship Program.
The SFMA Mentorship Program, launched in early 2024, was designed to provide guidance, support and knowledge-sharing opportunities for individuals passionate about maintaining and enhancing sports fields. The program connects experienced industry professionals with aspiring sports field managers, groundskeepers and maintenance personnel. The SFMA Mentorship Program currently has 38 active members.
FUTURE OFFERINGS In addition to existing offerings, SFMA is also developing a Turfgrass Math Resource Center created by Dr. Quincy Law and Dr. Nick Christians at Iowa State. The resource center will provide information related to irrigation math, fertilizer math, calculating area and more.
SFMA is also creating a Field Painting Resource Center that will cover field layout, powered and non-powered equipment, autonomous painting equipment maintenance, synthetic field painting, game day prep, logo painting tips, and even a section on painting and its effect on health. In addition, SFMA is discussing options for a Synthetic Turf Management resource center.
Resource center development is spearheaded by the SFMA Subject Matter Experts Committee, which includes Tyler Carr, Ph. D.; Weston Floyd, CSFM; Dan Sandor, Ph. D.; Matthew Arms, CSFM; Mike Blunck; Conlan Burbrink; Richard Douglas; Colin Fulks; Marc Moran, CSFM; Steve Ruckman, CSFM; Craig Sampsell, CSFM; Chrissie Segars, Ph. D.; Don Scholl, CSFM; Ryan Storey, CSFM; Aaron Tipton
TECHNICAL RESOURCES The SFMA website Technical Resources section( https: / www. sportsfieldmanagement. org / knowledge-categories / technical-resources /) includes post-conference virtual sessions. Several of the 2025 virtual sessions have already been added, and additional sessions are coming soon.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Turfgrass Management 101 courses are free to SFMA members and $ 60 for nonmembers; resource centers are free for SFMA members and $ 75 for nonmembers; all other professional development resources are $ 50 for SFMA members and $ 75 for nonmembers. For more information, contact Jennifer McLendon at jmclendon @ sportsfieldmanagement. org.
All photos by Mark Skalny sportsfieldmanagementonline. com July 2025 | SportsField Management
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