J.I. Clements showcases the tireless effort our team puts in year round to produce what I believe is now one of the best playing surfaces in all of college baseball – especially with the condition this field was in upon our arrival to Georgia Southern. We installed new infield grass, got rid of all the lips and completely rebuilt the mound and plate areas that were in utter disarray. The dedication of our team made this a professional-level facility on a tight budget.
– Joe Stumpo, director of sports turf/grounds
Level and category of submission: College Baseball
Field manager: Joe Stumpo
Title: Director of sports turf/grounds
Education: High School
Experience: Eight years with the Durham Bulls, Triple-A affiliate to the Tampa Bay Rays – four of those as the head groundskeeper of Historic Durham Athletic Park (DAP) where Bull Durham was filmed. During my tenure it was also home to North Carolina Central baseball, which was a Division I program in the MEAC. After my time in Durham, I took a position with the Toronto Blue Jays at their spring training facility in Dunedin, Florida, and spent roughly a full season there. I then took the position here at Georgia Southern University as director of sports turf/grounds in October of 2022, and oversee all athletic fields.
Original facility construction: 2004
Full-time staff: Matt McCutcheon
Turfgrass: Outfield is Tifway 419 bermudagrass. Infield and back arc 20 feet off is NorthBridge bermudagrass.
Overseed: Perennial ryegrass
Rootzone: Sand
Drainage: Drain tile and severe crown
SportsField Management (SFM): Congratulations on the Field of the Year win. What are you most proud of with this win?
Joe Stumpo: I’m most proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the three seasons we’ve been here from where this field was upon our arrival to Georgia Southern. None of it would be possible without the dedication from my assistant, Matt McCutcheon, and what he’s done; our two grad assistants we’ve had in that time — Javier Fleek-Quiros and Jonah Doyle — and the tireless effort from our student worker group that have been here from the beginning and have really taken off in the sports turf realm.
SFM: What were the biggest challenges you have faced with the winning field, and how have you approached those challenges?
Stumpo: The biggest challenge we face is balancing J.I. with all of the other athletic fields and sports we have here with the goal of providing the same TLC to all on a somewhat limited budget and staffing numbers. J.I. from a playing surface standpoint is on the older side, so weather around the beginning of baseball season can be a challenge with the sporadic weather patterns we experience here in southeast Georgia.
SFM: Can you share a little about your overall management approach to the winning field and what you feel have been the most important aspects to getting this field to an award-winning level?
Stumpo: In our approach at J.I. we try our best to mimic practices that we used in the professional baseball setting and replicate that here from a field playability standpoint, but also the overall experience for our athletes and staff. Baseball means a lot here at Georgia Southern, and is rich in history and winning; so our goal is to not only provide the best playing surface in the Sun Belt Conference, but in the country. Although it may be a small part in the process, we hope that when guys are here for a visit, they see the field and say “wow.”
SFM: Please tell us about your crew, and anything else you would like us to know about your organization and the fields/facilities that you manage?
Stumpo: The crew we have here is phenomenal. My assistant, Matt McCutcheon, is by far one of the best in the business. Without him and his leadership, this award would have never been possible. The two grad assistants we’ve had in our time here are extremely passionate about what they do and always willing to tackle any task at hand. The student workers that have been with us have really grown into the industry and the standard that we’ve tried to set here at Georgia Southern. I truly believe if they wanted to, they could make great sports field managers on their own in the industry. It’s a small but tight-knit crew, and that makes it fun to be around and work together on a daily basis. We manage approximately 13 acres of natural turf here with baseball, softball, soccer and our football/soccer practice facility, so we’re always on the move. We also manage our football stadium and indoor practice facility, which are synthetic turf.
SFM: Can you share a bit of insight into what the Field of the Year application process was like for you, as well as any tips you might have for other sports field managers?
Stumpo: The Field of the Year application process is very well laid out on the SFMA website to follow the steps and submit what is required. It takes time to be as thorough as you need to be, so definitely start the application process early so you don’t forget any key pieces of information. Throughout the year, take as many pictures as possible on the field you plan to submit from every aspect — good or bad — so you have plenty of pictures choose from.
The Field of the Year Awards program is made possible by the support of sponsors Carolina Green, World Class Athletic Surfaces and The Aquatrols Company.