RISING STAR

Fresh off of a 2022 SFMA Field of the Year win in the College Soccer category , Brad Finn , CSFM , now adds a Rising Star Award to his resume .

“ Obviously I still have a lot more to accomplish in my career ,” Finn said of the recent accolades . “ I can continue to get better on the field and as a person . People appreciate what I ’ m doing , and I want to keep giving back to this industry . It is satisfying to see what I ’ ve built in the three years I ’ ve been here at the University of Houston , and I ’ m excited for the future .”

As Assistant Athletics Director of Grounds , Facilities and Events at the University of Houston ( UH ), Finn wants everyone on his crew to be successful , and sees the awards as recognition of the team effort .

“ It ’ s a team player type of thing , and it ’ s great that I ’ m recognized as a great team player ,” he added .

Having played baseball while growing up in Northborough , Massachusetts , Finn knew he wanted to work in sports . He discovered sports field management as an avenue while at a family gathering .

“ I was talking to a boyfriend of one of my cousins , and he was telling me about turfgrass and that he was working at Fenway Park ,” Finn recalled . “ As a kid from the Boston area , I just thought that was awesome . I did a little more research , found a home at the University of Massachusetts and it spurred me from there .”

While in college , Finn took an internship at the University of Michigan and also worked at the University of Massachusetts research facility and Gillette Stadium ( New England Patriots and New England Revolution ). After finishing his undergrad , he went on to study for a master ’ s degree at Boston College while working part time at Gillette Stadium . After returning to Michigan to a full-time position as a facilities supervisor of the ice arena , Finn went on to Rice University and then to his current role at the University of Houston .

“ I ’ ve been to so many places , I ’ ve got a laundry list of names who have helped me in my career ,” Finn said . “ My dad has been a huge influence as a blue-collar guy . He would say that he needs to get to a place where his boss understands what he ’ s doing , and I took that pretty seriously . I ’ ve met so many guys who are hard workers but didn ’ t know how to communicate well with upper management . I tried to develop that skill so I can communicate what I ’ m doing in simple terms and to not take up too much time .”

Added Finn , “ The most influential thing I ’ ve realized is that all of my managers and coworkers have taught me something in some capacity .”

At UH , Finn oversees three full-time turf managers who share the responsibilities of two practice football fields , a softball field and a soccer field that are natural grass , along with synthetic baseball and football fields , an indoor practice facility , intramural fields and auxiliary areas totaling about 15 acres .

22 SportsField Management | October 2023 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com