John Kmitta Associate Publisher / Editorial Brand Director jkmitta @ epgacceleration . com 763-383-4405

In this issue , we are proud to highlight the efforts of the sports field managers who volunteered for the Little League Softball World Series ( LLSWS ) in Greenville , N . C . I had the pleasure of attending some of the LLSWS games held at Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park , as well as the two Athletes Unlimited professional softball games at Max R . Joyner Family Stadium at East Carolina University . The volunteers did an impeccable job preparing and maintaining the fields for the Little League players and professionals alike , and it was great to witness their efforts and dedication firsthand .

I want to thank SFMA President Sun Roesslein , CSFM , for inviting me to Greenville to cover the event . Also , my thanks to Chris Ball , CSFM ; Little League Senior Director of Communications Kevin Fountain ; Stallings Stadium On- Site Media Contact Scott Rogers ; and Sean Rhomberg and Eric Rhew with Athletes Unlimited . There were a lot of moving parts and logistics to provide me with media access , so I appreciate the group effort .

The passion of the fans was impressive , and the atmosphere was electric . On more than one occasion , people saw my media badge and camera and asked which team I was there to cover , to which I replied , “ the grounds crew .” That often led to more in-depth conversations about the magazine , the grounds crew and the profession .

It was great to discuss the efforts that went into giving all the athletes in Greenville amazing , safe playing surfaces . As such , my biggest thanks goes to all the volunteers who journeyed from throughout the country to dedicate their time , skills and knowledge . Thank you for being an amazing representation of the sports field management profession , and an example for the young people who were on the field and in the stands . And thank you for allowing me to hang out with you and be a part of the experience . Keep up the great work .

THE “ X ” FACTOR You will note in this issue that the former “ From the Twitterverse ” section has a new name . This was primarily driven by Twitter ’ s own name change to “ X ” as Elon Musk looks to reinvent his “ super app .” But our change is also an overdue adjustment as we look to share sports field management posts from a range of social media platforms .

CORRECTIONS The photo on page 28 of the June issue of SportsField Management was published without a photo credit . It should have been credited as Photo by Alyssa Siegel-Miles , University of Connecticut . Also , the stock image chosen for page 31 of that issue should not have been included , as it was not consistent with sustainable landscaping practices . SFM

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SportsField Management | September 2023 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com