RISING STAR

Tyler Morris , CSFM , is head sports field manager at MetLife Stadium , and his star has been rapidly ascending since he first set foot in the industry .

A native of southern Maryland , Morris ’ sister played Little League for a team coached by their father . Morris helped his father maintain the Little League fields before games and practices , and they figured it out together . The experience spurred Morris ’ interest in sports field management , but the closest professional team was the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs , an Independent League baseball team located 40 minutes away .

“ So , I first got involved in golf course management and did that for a couple years ,” said Morris . “ But I wanted to branch out and learn more sports-specific things . While still in high school , I met a sports field renovator who was working on a few of our high school fields . He had a lot of experience , and had graduated from Delaware Valley University . He showed me the nitty gritty of sports field renovation , and he was also the head groundskeeper for the Blue Crabs . He invited me to be part of the summer game day staff . That was a great opportunity .”

The fall after his summer with the Blue Crabs , Morris began his first year at Virginia Tech and immediately took on a role with the grounds crew where he helped with football , baseball , softball , soccer , lacrosse , track and field and cross country , as well as all of the landscaping around the sports facilities .

He returned to the Blue Crabs the following summer as an assistant groundskeeper ; then , in his second year at Virginia Tech , Morris became interim head groundskeeper for the Virginia Tech softball facility .

“ Because that was an interim role , we had a position to fill , so I was told to apply for the open position ,” said Morris . “ In the spring of 2019 , I took over as our baseball field coordinator . I was in charge of all the baseball field activities , and that was a full-time position through the university . That is what I consider my start in the sports field management industry .”

Morris served in that position until May 2021 , when he took over as Virginia Tech ’ s baseball and softball field manager , with additional responsibilities at the track and field facility .

“ Prior to graduating in the spring of 2022 , I wanted to branch out and find a new role . I knew it would be hard to find a full-time role going into summer , so I started looking during the fall semester of 2021 ,” said Morris . “ There was a position at Vanderbilt University that had opened up as their assistant grounds manager . My main responsibility was to be in charge of the 11 athletic fields — five of which were grass and six were turf at the time . I was in charge of a crew of approximately 15 people .”

Fast forward to 2023 , and Morris — having attained his CSFM certification at the age of 23 — was ready to take the next step .

“ I needed somewhere that would present another challenge ,” said Morris . “ I found the role that I currently hold as head sports field manager for MetLife Stadium , home to the New York Jets and New York Giants .”

In addition to hosting two NFL teams , MetLife Stadium also hosts more than 20 concert days during the summer , as well as other events such as college football . The stadium will also host two NHL games in February 2024 , and will serve as one of the host sites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup .

“ When I came for my interview here , a lot of those events excited me ,” said Morris . “ Looking forward , in three years the World Cup will be over , and we will be getting ready for American football season again . That ’ s exciting , because we are already talking about the World Cup and considering what we are doing for that . In taking the role I have now , I feel like I have set myself up pretty well moving forward to prepare myself for anything that may come in the next 20 , 30 , 40 years in the sports field management business .”

A big part of Morris ’ current role is protecting the field and transitioning between events such as concerts , Supercross , Monster Jam , a summer Premier League exhibition match , and , of course , football .

30 SportsField Management | October 2023 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com