ACCESSING THE ARCHIVES
magazine website . The article urged readers not to be intimidated by going online and “ dialing up ” our site . The article stated that the website would be “ updated monthly !”
Jody Gill and Sam Ferro wrote the June 1999 cover story on “ Growing Bermudagrass in Kansas .” The feature detailed how Blue Valley School District used Quickstand bermudagrass to withstand Kansas winters . “ The particular strain featured winter hardiness , quick spring green-up , and the safety of bermuda compared to the rough and clumpy tall fescue fields that were common in the area . Bermuda also offered significant heat tolerance advantages over bluegrass fields , and Kansas summers often experience long stretches of 90- to 105-degree F weather .”
In July 1999 , SportsTurf magazine helped readers address “ Growing Pains .” “ As if dealing with budget limitations isn ’ t enough , finding space to accommodate all of your facility ’ s athletic activities can be a persistent headache ,” the article stated . “ At the high school level , community growth can compound the problem . As schools grow , playing fields often have to yield space to make way for building and parking area expansion . Athletic facilities shrink , while athletic programs grow and become more diverse , and the sports turf manager must come up with new solutions to a growing problem . Sometimes , the only choice is to turn fields into multi-use sites .”
NFL field managers Ross Kurcab ( Denver Broncos ), Steve Wightman ( San Diego Chargers ), and Rich Genoff ( San Francisco 49ers ) shared “ NFL Techniques for Better and Safer Fields ” in the August 1999 issue ; outlining budgeting , keeping a field log , communicating with users , prioritizing field safety , growing healthy grass , mowing practices , field renovation and more .
The focus in September was on a Seminar on Wheels tour in Denver of Mile High Stadium , Coors Field and the Denver Broncos Practice Facility . Other topic areas
in that issue included paspalum , mower emissions , tree care , and dealing with drought .
In the October issue , Jim Puhalla outlined USGA specifications in sports fields . “ United States Golf Association ( USGA ) specifications for the construction of putting greens have been used for sports field projects on many occasions ,” he stated . “ These specifications rely on sand that is amended with organic material such as peat . With some appropriate modifications , USGA specs can create a field that maintains its playability under a wide variety of weather conditions .”
The November issue was a mix of content with turf blankets , integrated pest management , facility design , chemigation and green waste processing .
The most interesting aspect of the December 1999 issue was a Year In Review feature . Association membership grew from 975 in 1997 to 1,254 in 1998 and again to 1,579 in 1999 . Four chapters also joined STMA in 1999 with the Indiana , Tennessee Valley , North Texas , and Wisconsin chapters joining the 12 chapters already affiliated : Colorado , Florida # 1 , Great Lakes , Iowa , KAFMO , MAFMO , Michigan , Midwest , MidSouth , Minnesota , Northern California , and Southern California . The STMA Conference also grew attendance in 1999 ; STMA committees grew ; and the association launched a website .
All content for this section is pulled from the SportsTurf / SportsField Management archives , an ongoing cooperative project of EPG Media , SFMA and the Michigan State University Libraries . Public access to the archive from 1985 to the present ( less two months ) is available at https :// sturf . lib . msu . edu / index . html . sportsfieldmanagementonline . com March 2025 | SportsField Management
45