RISING STAR
“ I oversee the contract group that maintains the landscaping around our athletic facilities ,” Finn added . “ I also help wherever else I can . I ’ m an event manager at football games and softball games .”
When Finn is not working on the fields at UH , he can be seen tending to another field in Houston as he works part-time at Minute Maid Park ( Houston Astros ). But when he ’ s not working , he ’ s spending time with his girlfriend and their two dogs and two cats . He also plays softball on Friday nights and enjoys going on vacations back home to Boston to spend time with friends and family .
While in Houston , Finn has also been building relationships with fellow field managers in the area .
“ The most underrated thing in the industry is the turfgrass communities ,” Finn said . “ We ’ ve got the regional and national chapters , but also the micro-community of sports field managers in Houston . I talk all the time with the guys at the Texans , Astros , Dynamo and Rice University . It ’ s the most rewarding thing , and it makes me want to stay in Houston .”
Finn also said that UH joining the Big 12 Conference this season is exciting , and he is looking forward to the future with the athletics program .
In addition , Finn wants to build relationships and be a mentor to those entering the industry .
“ Passing on information is the most rewarding thing for me ,” Finn said . “ I ’ ve had a few interns pass through here who are going to big places . We ’ ve built a good culture and it ’ s my chance to give back to the industry . I want to show kids that this is a great way to stay involved with sports , and it doesn ’ t have to be hard if you do it right . You ’ ll have your tough days , but it ’ s all about what you make of it . I try to make the best out of what we have . If I can get some help
in the short term and I can help them to move on to bigger and better things , that ’ s all I can ask for .
“ At the end of the day , it ’ s an opportunity to stay on the field ,” Finn said regarding how the industry can attract young people to careers in sports field management . “ If you love sports , like being outside or have an interest in science , there ’ s so many facets that can draw people into this industry .”
According to Finn , people within sports — such as coaches , athletic directors and administrators — are seeing the benefits of having a field manager .
“ Coaches and trainers see the value of our expertise ,” Finn said . “ We need to be better on how we ’ re communicating where to go and how to get there . Our number-one concern is player safety and making sure the playing surface is playable .”
According to Finn , building connections and forming relationships is the key to growth in the sports field management industry .
“ There are more jobs than people in the industry right now ,” Finn said . “ If you have an interest in sports field management , the time is now . Just reach out to those people that know how to get there . As an industry , both nationally and regionally , we ’ re trying to reach out to young people and show that we ’ re more present .” SFM
— Article written by Robert Augsdorfer , assistant editor
WHAT THEIR NOMINATOR HAD TO SAY :
“ Brad is a great field manager and a great industry leader . He has allowed folks into his facility to see his methods and share ideas , which is critical to the growth and development of our industry . Along with the physical examples , he shares his thoughts and ideas on social media , connecting his successes and setbacks with the entire world . He is an advocate for natural grass , always willing to test the limits of his turf and try new strategies . While doing that , he also finds ways to increase his event load , both on natural and synthetic turf , which allows the UH athletics to continually work to improve . That embodies what a modern sports field manager should be about . He is bound for greatness .” sportsfieldmanagementonline . com October 2023 | SportsField Management
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