FIELD OF THE YEAR PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
LOOKING BACK ON the last 12 months, I knew it was going to be an incredibly challenging year based on how many events we were hosting throughout the year. That includes hosting two professional teams from February through November, soccer matches for international teams, NCAA Championships in December, and a state high school match. We hosted soccer matches 11 months of the year, totaling 45 games. Add in a few extra events, and we averaged an event each week for the entire year at the stadium.
We sat down as a staff at the beginning of the year and talked about our motto for the season,“ Seizing Windows of Opportunity.” Our success depended upon having a detailed plan for these days to help us know what to do and when to do it, so we didn’ t waste a lot of time, effort and money.
Part of that plan was to use grow lights to provide the field it’ s required light levels from August through May. We then would use grow blankets and SubAir forced heat to manipulate the soil temperatures from October through May. We overseeded with an annual ryegrass to provide cover during the late fall and spring months, but also provide an easier transition into the summer. We even changed our topdressing material to a black compost material to try to draw more heat into the field.
Despite all of our efforts, soccer matches in December and February were only possible through a year of continuous hard work; building up appropriate carbohydrate levels, growing a dense turf from cultural practices and fertilization, and making sure our moisture levels were intact through timely aerations. We certainly weren’ t perfect battling Mother Nature, but we provided a high-level field in those winter months, which I think speaks for itself.
I firmly believe that our field rivals any other field in professional soccer, and is deserving of winning Field of the Year.
– Aaron Fink, field manager
sportsfieldmanagementonline. com May 2025 | SportsField Management
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