Field of the Year Showcases Expertise
U . S . Sod Checkoff is Striving to “ Bring Grass to Life ”
STMA IN ACTION
Field of the Year Showcases Expertise
The Field of the Year Program was developed to feature the excellent field management practices of STMA members in three categories : Professional stadiums , Schools / Parks , and Colleges / Universities . Since the program began in 1988 , STMA has presented nearly 300 Field of the Year awards to top field managers . The program awards single fields in the sports of baseball , softball , soccer , football and sporting grounds ( which recognizes non-mainstream sports , such as rugby and lacrosse ).
The application covers playability and appearance of the playing surface ; innovative solutions employed ; effective use of budget ; the development and implementation of a comprehensive , sound agronomic program ; field management challenges and more . Up to 30 photographs taken throughout the year are also required to be uploaded in the application . The application is completely online , and is hosted through a well-known awards software program , ReviewR . It is easy to fill out and can be saved for continued access as the application is finalized .
The 2020 program revealed that sports field managers faced challenges they never experienced before — many were due to a reduced ability to maintain the surfaces — caused by a limited staff , little to no access , and other restrictions . Factors affecting field management change every year , and those who enter their field two years in a row are challenged to thoroughly describe what has changed from one year to the next .
Daniel Prince won in 2019 and 2020 for Walsh Football Field at the Pace Academy Riverview Sports Complex in the Schools / Parks category . According to Prince , he had different challenges in 2020 with staffing and events . “ We had to operate on a skeleton crew that meant only one person on site per day ,” said Prince . “ During this time , we were tasked with hosting private individual workouts for NFL players , Olympic runners , and a socially distanced graduation ceremony .”
The STMA Awards Committee reviews the application format and criteria annually , and adjusts it as necessary . There was one change to this year ’ s program : the PCI is again required for submittal . It has been required since 2010 , but was placed on hiatus for 2020 due to field access limitations caused by the pandemic . The committee , which is made up of a wide range of members , independently judges each application based on nine criteria . ReviewR automatically calculates the scoring . The judges have an SOP in place to follow to recuse themselves if they know a particular applicant .
Scott Thompson , CSFM , chairs this year ’ s committee . Members of the committee include Jaxson Bailey , CSFM ; Russ Baucom , CSFM ; Andrew Beggs , CSFM ; Greg Brodd ; Grant Davisson ; Michael Flowers , CSFM ; Ryan Hills ; Glenn Lucas ; Madison Manos ; Carter Metclaf ; Trevor Odders , CSFM ; Ryan Storey , CSFM ; George Trivett , CSFM ; Edgar Vallejo ; Rob Walls ; Christopher Webb , CSFM ; and Tim Youngberg .
Those who attain a Field of the Year award receive complimentary STMA Conference registration , three nights hotel , signature clothing , and they accept their award on stage during the annual Awards Banquet held during the STMA Conference and Exhibition . That event will be held Jan . 20 , 2022 , in Savannah , Ga .
Join your peers who have won a Field of the Year award , and validate your expertise to your community , employer and peers . You can ’ t win unless you submit !
The Field of the Year application is available at STMA . org under the “ Programs ” tab . The deadline to submit is Oct . 15 .
U . S . Sod Checkoff is Striving to “ Bring Grass to Life ”
Sod producers in the United States have been discussing the benefits of creating a sod checkoff since 1996 , but only in recent years have there been more intentional discussions around how the industry can begin that process . Agricultural research and promotion programs , or “ checkoff programs ,” are industry-funded initiatives that improve the market position of a commodity by expanding markets , increasing demand , conducting market and scientific research , and promoting industry initiatives and activities . There are currently more than 20 USDA Research and Promotion programs on everything from beef , pork , eggs and dairy to specialty crops such as mangos , watermelons , Christmas trees , blueberries and others .
8 SportsField Management | September 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com