“ Will is certainly well qualified for this award as he’ s led multiple crews in earning Field of the Year and Fields of Excellence honors; in addition to his continual dedicated leadership on the VSFMA Board of Directors. However, it’ s undoubtedly his mentorship and service to others that truly propel this rising star ever higher. Through volunteering his time in training his peers in professional development opportunities, helping with field projects, and connecting with students, both young and old, Will’ s commitment to paying it forward and his passion for welcoming everyone with a seat at the table are what give this rising star an incredibly bright future.”
RISING STAR AWARDS
Will Cole
Sales Leader, Genesis Distribution
THERE ARE MANY REASONS Will Cole was selected as a 2026 SportsField Management magazine Rising Star Award winner; but among those is his service to the industry and his community.
Cole has served on the Virginia SFMA( VSFMA) Board of Directors for several years, and now serves as the chapter’ s president. He also stays involved with Virginia Tech and gives back by helping them with research days, speaking in their online program, and talking to members of the Virginia Tech Turf Club.
“ Virginia is also extremely lucky to have four high school turfgrass programs,” Cole added.“ So the VSFMA is very supportive of those programs, and we try to push as much as we can to get youth involved. We just had a field day in the spring that was led by one of the high schools, and the students spoke in front of about 200 people. So, being able to support them and Virginia Tech is big.”
In addition to his service to VSFMA, Cole and his wife, Amy, launched Second Chance Groundskeeping of Southwest Virginia, a program to help nonviolent troubled youth who are newly off probation or still on probation. Amy, formerly a juvenile probation officer, is now a supervisor for the court service in Virginia. This year was the first year of the program.
“ We had our first young man this year, and he worked out really well,” said Cole.“ He loves groundskeeping, but he’ s only 16, so we’ ll see what happens.”
Cole’ s goal is to continue to grow the program, expand beyond baseball, and continue to show the young people in the program a different path. His advice to young people is to stay open-minded, because a lot of young people who love sports want to be a player, coach or trainer.
“ No one really thinks about the behind the scenes, and what makes the field look that way,” said Cole.“ It’ s about keeping an open mind. It is going to be tough. It’ s not going to be easy, that’ s for sure; but it is a great time.”
Cole has had a great time in the sports field management industry; but, as he says, came into it rather organically.
Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, Cole’ s family moved to Mathews County, Virginia during his sophomore year in high school. He grew up playing basketball and soccer, and originally set his sights on being a teacher.
Unfortunately, an injury suffered while playing basketball in college led Cole to take a year off to reevaluate his goals.
“ I wanted to stay in sports, but didn’ t want to be a coach,” he said.“ So I ended up in sports turf. I started my career in professional sports and made my way to parks and rec in York County, Virginia.”
Cole, who studied at both Penn State University and Virginia Tech, worked for Alpha Jones, CSFM, at Longwood University, then later took a leave of absence from sports turf to venture into the landscape industry. After several years handling right-of-way mowing and turf maintenance for parks and libraries, Cole missed working in sports field management. So, in 2020, he took a job at River’ s Edge Sports Complex in Roanoke, Virginia, and proceeded to work there for almost three years.
From there, Cole took a job with the Salem Red Sox, which were recently rebranded as the Salem RidgeYaks( Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox). Cole served as director of field operations of the RidgeYaks through the 2026 season, and recently moved into his new role as sales leader for Genesis Distribution.
While with the RidgeYaks, Cole – along with his assistant and a rotating roster of game day crew members – handled a busy schedule for the stadium, which is owned by Diamond Baseball Holdings.
“ We get events like crazy,” said Cole.“ We had Nitro Circus in August. We also have a Division III baseball team, Roanoke College, that plays here, so we don’ t really get a lot of time off.”
In addition to 67 Minor League Baseball home games, Salem Memorial Stadium plays host to approximately 120 other events, including Division III baseball practices and games, softball games, Halloween events, and run / walk events. There is even a full 18-hole disc golf course throughout the stadium.“ The organization is all about fan experience,” said Cole.
“ So it’ s not just about taking care of grass or dirt or painting lines and logos. It is also customer service.” The heavy event load and trying to achieve better work-life balance is the main reason Cole is leaving the practitioner side of sports field management.
His son, Landon, is in middle school and plays soccer on the school team; and his daughters Ryleigh and Emma play T-ball and do gymnastics.
The change of jobs will help him spend more time with them and attend their events.
“ This is probably a little mushy, but I was a young dad when I started my career,” said Cole.“ So my son drove me to be bigger and better. I really feel like my career has taken off over the last five or six years. I really do my career around my family.”
In addition to spending time with family, Cole is a soccer fan and follows Chelsea FC. He is also an avid runner who has run four marathons – including the New York City Marathon – as well as more than 20 half marathons.
“ I grew up watching my dad run,” said Cole.“ He passed away in 2009, and I said that one day I would do it. When COVID happened, there was nothing better than going outside and running. So it is a big part of my life.”
Cole also takes his management approach from his father, who served as a firefighter and taught him,“ If my crew succeeds, then that means I succeed.”
Seeing the success of his crew members is what makes Cole most proud.
“ The assistant I have now is going to take over my position, and he’ s going to be able to do his own thing,” said Cole.“ My very first assistant a few years ago at Salem was a communications major at that time at Virginia Tech, and now he’ s going back to grad school at Virginia Tech. He just worked in New York for the World Cup. So, seeing people that have worked for me going on to bigger and better things than I could ever dream of – and say that I have a tiny, tiny piece of their story – makes my career worth it.”
Through his industry involvement, Cole has enjoyed meeting new people, as well as seeing friends and colleagues at chapter events and at the national SFMA Conference. Serving VSFMA has also opened up the opportunity to speak with other groups, such as the Southwest Virginia Master Gardeners. His work in the industry has also presented him with the opportunity to work with BrightView Sports Turf on major events such as the MLB Speedway Classic, as well as the pre-World Baseball Classic exhibition series in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
“ There is also a sense of family for the 120 groundskeepers just in the Minor League Baseball system,” he said.“ I enjoy seeing all of them and meeting the new men and women that come in every year, no matter what level.”
Now, as a Rising Star Award winner, Cole feels honored that the recognition comes from his peers.
“ I’ m at a loss for words every once in a while, but not very often,” he said.“ I definitely am now. It makes it feel like all the work that I’ ve put in over the years, and the sacrifices I made with my family, have been worth it. Being able to do what I do, and do the volunteer work, it’ s nice to know people are seeing that.”
WHAT THEIR NOMINATOR HAD TO SAY:
“ Will is certainly well qualified for this award as he’ s led multiple crews in earning Field of the Year and Fields of Excellence honors; in addition to his continual dedicated leadership on the VSFMA Board of Directors. However, it’ s undoubtedly his mentorship and service to others that truly propel this rising star ever higher. Through volunteering his time in training his peers in professional development opportunities, helping with field projects, and connecting with students, both young and old, Will’ s commitment to paying it forward and his passion for welcoming everyone with a seat at the table are what give this rising star an incredibly bright future.”