Communication. It’s one of those words that shows up in every leadership book, crew meeting, and company vision statement. But in sports field management — where timelines are tight and stakes are high — it’s more than a buzzword. It’s the difference between efficiency and waste, safety and accidents, a game without a hitch and one marred by preventable mistakes.
Just like stolons spread to strengthen turf, communication spreads understanding and purpose to strengthen a team. In our world — “Where the Game Begins” — communication sets the tone before the first whistle is ever blown. I first wrote about work ethic, then accountability as stolons of leadership. The third stolon is communication, and it ties the first two together. Without clear communication, work ethic lacks direction, and accountability has no framework. You can have the hardest-working crew in the state, but if they don’t understand the “why” and “how,” their efforts may still miss the mark.
Communication isn’t just saying something; it’s making sure the other person fully understands it. That requires clarity and listening. Too often, communication is treated as a one-way broadcast when it should be a two-way exchange. Think about game-day prep: a supervisor tells a staff member who normally works baseball, “Paint the soccer field.” Simple enough, right? But does that mean painting the boundary lines, or the full layout with penalty boxes and logos? Are they expected to pull string lines, or is there a stencil system in place? Ambiguity in sports field work doesn’t just create frustration — it can leave you with missed details, crooked lines and even a very unhappy coach.
Now picture someone getting an irrigation assignment. A manager says, “Check the irrigation on the lacrosse practice field.” One person might run a quick cycle and assume the system is fine. Another might walk zones, looking for leaks, broken heads or soft ground. If the expectation isn’t defined, the risk of showing up on Monday morning to a soggy lacrosse field or dry, heat-stressed grass is high. A single misstep in communication can cost hours of repair time and put the field’s playability and safety on the line. Clear words upfront prevent costly and embarrassing fixes later.
When accountability falters, it often means communication failed first. If expectations weren’t clearly explained, how can anyone be held accountable? Accountability only sticks when expectations are defined in specific, measurable terms. Work ethic and accountability aren’t abstract values; they’re lived out through communication. Effective communication is specific, timely, respectful, and leaves room for clarification. It never assumes understanding — it checks for it. Bad communication, on the other hand, is vague, inconsistent or dismissive — it leaves confusion where clarity should live. Receiving conflicting instructions for the same task is stressful. An example of poor communication is a manager making a single announcement in the break room and assuming the team will spread the message. Another example is a coach complaining about sidelines that are muddy because no one told the field manager about extended irrigation runs. Bad communication erodes trust. And once trust is lost, accountability collapses, and work ethic feels wasted.
Most crews don’t fail because directions weren’t given — they fail because leaders didn’t listen. Listening is the most important ingredient in communication, and it’s often overlooked. Listening prevents small issues from turning into big ones, and it applies not only to crews but also to administrators, coaches and CEOs.
Communication becomes part of the culture when it’s modeled by leadership and encouraged at every level. Crews should feel safe asking clarifying questions. Leaders should value clarity over speed when giving directions. And everyone should see communication as a matter of safety, quality and respect.
When communication is valued as culture, accountability improves, work ethic is channeled correctly, and performance rises. Communication is the bridge between effort and results. Without it, even the best crews struggle. With it, teams are successful.
[Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing series. The next article will focus on integrity. Because when communication takes root, integrity has space to grow.]
Alpha Jones, CSFM, is an athletic field specialist at Duke University. He also serves on the SFMA Board of Directors as President-Elect. He can be reached at morthangrass@gmail.com