RISING STAR
According to Mays , the best part of the job is the people — those with whom he works , those he has connected with throughout his career , and those who have impacted him along the way .
For Mays , it started with Dr . Mike Goatley at Virginia Tech . “ He has been just such a great mentor throughout my entire career and still checks up on me ,” said Mays . “ And I ’ ve been fortunate enough that he picks up the phone when I call .
“ You take bits and pieces from working with great people ,” he added . “ John Turnour at the Nationals made a huge impact and has been a big help in my career . Even when I was looking to get out of the industry , he let me know that I need to make the decision that was the best for me . I ’ m glad John talked me into staying in . I ’ ve been so lucky to work with so many good people and meet good friends .”
Outside of work , Mays is planning a wedding ( for 2025 ) and spends a lot of time with his fiancée , at the lake , golfing , traveling to visit family and friends , or just hanging out with their dog “ Turf .”
“ We don ’ t have many weekends where we sit around and do nothing ,” he said . “ We like living in Atlanta — it was a big change coming from Virginia . Even though we ’ re in more of a suburban area , moving to a major city was a change . We ’ re looking to buy a house down here in the next year and try to make it more like home .”
Before moving to Atlanta , Mays was at a point in his career where he was tired of bouncing from place to place .
“ I wanted to get somewhere and feel like I am a part of something ,” he said . “ I think I found that here . I take a lot of passion and pride in what I do . I work a lot , but I love being at work and I like to stay busy .
“ I took this job thinking it was way bigger than me ; but it will always be bigger than me and that ’ s fine ,” he added . “ I feel like I ’ m a part of something , and that ’ s been huge because I ’ m taking care of such a large campus that has been impactful for so many people . There ’ s a lot of other staff here that do amazing things . But just feeling like I finally have gotten into a place I can call home has been very cool , and I thoroughly enjoy it .”
Being part of something is important to Mays outside of his day job as well . He volunteers with the Georgia chapter SFMA , where he serves on the board of directors as K-12 director .
“ The Georgia chapter struggled for a while , and we now have a group of people who have been able to revive it and bring it back to something we are all very proud of ,” he said . “ We ’ ve been able to expand the horizon and get more people involved .”
According to Mays , industry involvement is not only about giving back to the industry , but connecting with other industry professionals and building relationships .
“ Everyone who maintains sports fields for a living is in the same boat ,” he said . “ Having other people to be able to lean on and call on when you ’ re trying to make decisions is huge .” Being recognized as a Rising Star by those industry peers was unexpected for Mays , who labels himself as “ an under-the-radar kind of guy .” But he is thrilled to be chosen for the award , and is grateful for the opportunity to reach others in the industry , help younger sports field managers grow and share his passion for his work .
“ I just love what I do ,” he said . “ Being able to be outside every day and being involved in so many different aspects really makes it feel like you ’ re actually doing something . We are here to create an experience and bring a community together . People are proud to set foot on this campus . That is what I really enjoy most .” SFM
What their nominator had to say : “ Jake is one of the most passionate sports field managers I have ever met . He has worked at all levels of the industry where he has always tried to have a positive impact on the community around him – whether that means volunteering at local high schools to talking with high school students about the sports field management industry . He continues to bring the SFMA to the forefront and has created more opportunities for those around him to better understand what this industry is all about .” sportsfieldmanagementonline . com October 2024 | SportsField Management
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