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News Release
For Immediate Release For further information, contact:
Jan. 31, 2006 Kim Heck, CEO, 800-323-3875
kheck@sportsturfmanager.org
STMA Attains Record-High Conference Attendance
The 17th annual Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Conference and Exhibition brought more than 1,000 conference attendees, an association record high, to Orlando, Jan. 18-21, for classroom and hands-on education. This was a 10 percent increase in attendance from the 2005 conference, which was held in Phoenix. The conference kicked off a year-long celebration of the associations’ 25th anniversary.
Integral to the conference was the 86,000 sq. foot exhibition that showcased the sports turf industry’s products, services and equipment of more than 155 companies.
Thirty-eight educational sessions and workshops, a dozen roundtable discussions, a four-hour chapter officer’s training session, and two full-day and one half day off-site seminars were packed into the four-day conference.
The conference events were enhanced by the support of Barenbrug; Beacon Athletics; Covermaster; Cygnet Turf & Equipment; Ewing Irrigation; Hunter Industries; Kubota; Midwest Rake; Pro’s Choice; Rain Bird; Southern Athletic Fields; TLI Sports; The Toro Company; Turface Athletics; Weatherbug; West Coast Turf; and World Class Athletic Surfaces.
Opening Session Highlights the
History of the Profession and Forecasts for the Future
To recognize the 25th anniversary, a panel of long-time STMA members shared their views about the profession’s progress and milestones during the past 25 years. The panel was moderated by STMA Past President Dr. Gil Landry, University of Georgia, who probed panelists about the changes in sports turf management practices, research, education, design and construction, media coverage and environmental issues. Panelists were Steve Wightman, QUALCOMM Stadium and Steve Cockerham, University of California-Riverside, who are past presidents of STMA, Mark Heinlein from the Motz Group, and Reggie Williams, former NFL star and Disney’s Wide World of Sports visionary. In a follow-up presentation, Dr. Dave Minner, Iowa State University, delved deeper into the technological changes that are driving the profession and how they will affect the future of sports turf management. Dr. Andrew McNitt, Penn State University, discussed the skills and abilities that a sports turf manager will need in the future to be successful. Keynote presenter Dr. Larry Helms motivated sports turf managers to be the best they can be and offered immediate strategies to help STMA members get ahead personally and professionally.
STMA Highest Honors Presented
The STMA Awards banquet held on Fri., Jan. 20, culminated in the awarding of the Founders Awards, STMA’s most prestigious honors. Floyd Perry, owner of Grounds Maintenance Services, Orlando, Fla., received the Dick Ericson award, which is given to a sports turf manager who positively impacts the sports turf industry and exhibits effective team leadership. Jeff Fowler from Penn State Cooperative Extension received the Dr. William H. Daniel Award, which acknowledges significant contributions to the sports turf industry through research, teaching and extension outreach. The George Toma Golden Rake Award, which acknowledges an individual’s strong work ethic and job performance, was presented to Jim Wiggins from the Tomball Independent School District in Tomball, Tex. The Harry C. Gill Memorial Awardwas presented to Bob Christofferson of the Seattle Mariners. The Gill Award recognizes an individual for their hard work in the sports turf industry and acknowledges their dedication and service to the STMA.
STMA Recognizes Fields of the Year
and Minor League Baseball Sports Turf Managers
Fourteen STMA Field of the Year winners were also honored during the annual awards banquet. The sports turf managers whose fields won were judged to have exceptional playability and aesthetic playing surfaces, employ innovative solutions, use budget dollars effectively, and develop and implement a comprehensive, agronomically sound maintenance program. The winners include:
Baseball (Professional): Marshall Jennings, Roger Dean Stadium — Jupiter, FL
(Collegiate): Ron Hostick, CSFM, Charlie Smith Field at Tony Gwynn Stadium — San Diego
(Schools/Parks): David Brooks, Hillcrest Booster Field — Greenville, SC
Football (Professional): Ross Kurcab, CSFM, INVESCO Field at Mile High — Denver
(Collegiate): Amy Fouty, CSFM Michigan State University, Spartan Stadium — East Lansing
(Schools/Parks): David Hanus, Viking Field at Bryan High School — Bryan, TX
Soccer (Schools/Parks): Steve Roser, Sportscore II Soccer Complex — Rockford, IL
(Collegiate) Larry Berry, Olivet Nazarene University, Soccer Field — Bourbonnais, IL
(Professional): Ross Kurcab, CSFM, INVESCO Field at Mile High — Denver
Softball (Schools/Parks): David Hanus, Lady Viking Field at Bryan High School — Bryan, TX
(Collegiate): Rick Newville, ASA Don E. Porter HOF Stadium — Oklahoma City
Complex (Schools/Parks): John Netwal, CGCS, North Scott Community School District — Eldridge, IA
(Collegiate): Kevin Yeiser, Lebanon Valley College — Annville, PA
(Professional): Joe Kennedy III, CSFM, Surprise Recreation Campus — Surprise, AZ
Four Minor League Baseball (MiLB) Sports Turf Managers were honored for the quality of their fields during the awards banquet. STMA is a co-sponsor with the MiLB for the Sports Turf Manager of the Year Awards. Sixteen leagues selected a winner and from those winners, STMA awarded the Sports Turf Manager of the Year to Ken Kopinski, the Ogden Raptors (Short Season or Rookie); Chris Ralston, Bakersfield Blaze (Class A); Brad Detmore, Corpus Christi Hooks (Class AA) and Dennis Klein, Round Rock Express (Class AAA).
SAFE Foundation Raises $31,921
The Foundation for Safer Athletic Field Environments (SAFE), the charitable arm of STMA, raised $31,921 for scholarship, research and education during the conference. Funds were generated from a golf tournament sponsored by Jacobsen, A Textron Company, and live and silent auctions.
Community Service Project Restores Baseball Field
A community service project was undertaken by 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL) groundskeepers during a separate pre-conference symposium.
WilliamR. Boone High School in Orlando received a free $15,000 facelift to its old baseball diamond. The 5 ½ hour job included rebuilding the 3,500-student school’s pitcher’s mound, bull pen and batter’s box, filling in all low spots, incorporating sports field conditioner into the infield, and putting a straight edge on all turf borders. They also painted the school’s logo on the 50-yard line of the school’s football field. The renovation prepared the fields to hold an STMA seminar, which was held on Sat., Jan. 21. More than 115 sports turf managers attended this hands-on education, which was taught by MLB and NFL groundskeepers.
Students Compete in 2nd Collegiate Challenge
Students were able to take advantage of many activities specifically geared to them including the second annual Student Collegiate Challenge. Twenty teams from various colleges and universities participated in a written exam on sports turf and sports field management topics, and identified plants, weeds and insects. At the inaugural event in 2005, fifteen teams competed. The winning teams are: 1st place: Purdue University — Team 9: Joey Stevenson, Chase Best, Daniel Mudd, and Nick Gressley; 2nd place: University of Florida — Team 5: Wendy Walsh, Asa High, Matt Eichman, Ryan Swilley; 3rd place: Penn State University — Team 7: Nathan Bickerstaff, Kyle Slaton, Kristin Althouse, Matt Naedel; and 4th place: University of Florida — Team 6: Jason Frank, Brett Perez, Troy Abbott, and Pauric McGroary. The first place team members each received STMA merchandise, a VISA gift card and the team took home a permanent plaque. The second, third and fourth place teams received a certificate and STMA merchandise.
STMA is the not-for-profit, professional association for the men and women who manage sports fields. Its more than 2,500 members oversee sports fields and facilities at schools, colleges and universities, parks and recreational facilities, and professional sports stadiums. The membership’s goal is to manage natural turf and synthetic surfaces to produce safe and aesthetically pleasing playing surfaces for athletes at all levels of playing abilities. Since 1981, the association and its dozens of local chapters have been providing education, information and sharing practical knowledge in the art and science of sports field management.