FIELD OF THE YEAR COLLEGE SOFTBALL
MACHINERY HELPING TURF CARE EXPERTS ACHIEVE PERFECTION
SportsField Management ( SFM ): Congratulations on the Field of the Year win . What are you most proud of with this win , and / or what do you think stands out most about the winning field ? Daniel Thomas , CSFM : I am personally most proud of winning this award at the college / university level . Previously having won FOY in the professional baseball category with more resources at my disposal , this was a much different animal than I was accustomed to . The college / university level presents a completely different set of circumstances and challenges that had to be overcome . Adjusting my approach early on was key in laying the foundation for winning this award .
What I felt stood out the most about Eichelberger Field this past year was the resilience of the Kentucky bluegrass late in the season through hosting the Big Ten Softball Tournament in mid-May . A big difference between professional baseball players and collegiate softball players is that the practices at the collegiate level are at 110 %. They go hard and fast , causing damage to the field on a daily basis . With the push to change over to synthetic turf , I took it as a challenge to produce a natural grass playing surface that could not only withstand the wear and tear , but to be an elite playing surface from start to finish . And to show to others in the sports field world — from coaches to administrative staff to peers in the industry — that it can be done in the northern climate despite all of the hurdles . Developing agronomic strategies to bolster our root mass , increase tensile strength of the blades , and increase the overall density of the canopy — all of which helps tolerate the damage caused by team activity and provide a safe playing surface for the Illini softball team .
SFM : What attracted you to a career in sports field management , and what has been your career path through the industry ? Thomas : My love of the outdoors and sports in general is the easy , short answer . However , what I love the most about being a sports field manager is the independence and autonomy to create your own masterpiece .
Campey supply market leading , innovative turf care machinery worldwide , we ’ re continually researching new techniques and refining existing practices .
www . campeyturfcare . com sportsfieldmanagementonline . com June 2024 | SportsField Management
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