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STMA News Online
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News You Can Use
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The STMA Playing Conditions Index is available to STMA members on the Members-Only section of www.STMA.org. The STMA PCI is a tool for sports turf managers to use to assess the playing conditions of a given athletic field at a specific point in time. STMA needs your help to pilot the program in 2008 and produce the final instrument to be rolled out at the 2009 STMA Conference in San Jose!
By filling out the STMA PCI and providing your feedback to STMA, you can contribute to making the STMA PCI a useful tool for the sports turf manager. Please click here to login to the Members-Only section of STMA.org, learn more about the STMA PCI through the STMA PCI FAQ, and download the STMA PCI Pilot worksheet.
If you have any questions about the STMA PCI, please call STMA headquarters at 800/323-3875 or send an email to PCI@STMA.org.
STMA Awards Application Now Available… Sporting a New Category!
The STMA Field of the Year Awards Application is now available on the STMA website, and there is an entirely new category this year: STMA Sporting Grounds of the Year. The STMA Sporting Grounds of the Year replaces the STMA Complex of the Year.
The Field of the Year application has new expanded photo requirements, which allows the Sports Turf Manager to be more creative in the use of pictures. Also, the application has been streamlined to be easier to fill out, and the budget form has been standardized. The STMA Awards Committee encourages you to start your application today by taking pictures and documenting your field in off-peak conditions, too. Get creative with your pictures and let us know what you do to make your field stand out!
Visit www.STMA.org and download the new 2008 STMA Field of the Year Application. If you have any questions about the STMA Awards Program, please contact Patrick Allen at STMA headquarters at 800.323.3875 or pallen@stma.org.
Thank You STMA Sponsors!!!
Each year, STMA is able to provide its members with enhanced quality programs, such as the Awards Program and Chapter Development Fund, an outstanding Conference and Exhibition, and timely, effective communications through the generous donations of STMA Sponsors.
These companies are: (in alphabetical order) Alpine Services, Barenbrug USA, Beacon Athletics, Carolina Green, Covermaster, Inc., Cygnet Turf, Diamond Pro/TXI, Ewing, Hunter, John Deere, Kubota, Midwest Rake, Profile Products/Turface, Scott’s Turf-Seed, Siteworks, Stabilizer Solutions, Syngenta, The Toro Company, West Coast Turf, and World Class Athletic Surfaces. Please support the companies that support STMA!
STMA Committee Rewriting Bylaws
The Bylaws Committee is working on revising the STMA Bylaws to include the governance changes approved by the Board of Directors at their fall 2007 meeting. The major changes involve increasing the size of the board, formalizing the ascension process to the Presidency, consolidating the Secretary and the Treasurer positions into one position, and reducing the terms of the Officers to one year in each office.
The STMA Board of Directors believes that these changes will result in a stronger governance system for the association. To help provide context to these changes, information will be provided in upcoming issues of this newsletter and placed on the website. Today, we’ll look at the ascension process and the Secretary/Treasurer combination.
The Governance Task Group, who was appointed by President Andresen to review STMA’s entire governance process, spent six months developing recommendations on more effective procedures. As a first step, the Task Group reviewed many other association’s governance structures. They spent weeks discussing the STMA’s structure and how to make it stronger.
One of the first elements of the STMA structure that was not clear was the ascension process – how does an Officer ascend to the Presidency? The Task Group realized that STMA needs to formalize the process so that the membership, those who serve on the Board, and those who are considering service can see clearly the pathway to the Presidency. That process led them to pinpoint a key position that establishes the track to the Presidency. That key position is the newly combined Secretary/Treasurer.
Why did the Task Group recommend a consolidated position? The Task Group recognized that the duties of the Secretary were no longer very substantial. The recordkeeping function of the Secretary had been handed off to the Headquarters staff. Thus, the combination of Secretary/Treasurer seemed to be a logical course of action and made the position more efficient and effective. Many of the associations that the Task Group reviewed have a combined Secretary/Treasurer position.
The Task Group then further defined the ascension process: a minimum of two candidates will run for this office, and once elected, the Secretary/Treasurer will ascend to the President-Elect and then to the President, with no opposing candidates on the ballot. Thus, voting members who cast a ballot for the Secretary/Treasurer are in essence selecting the STMA President who will serve the association in two more years.
Look for more information next month about these governance changes. The vote to approve the revised Bylaws will be in mid-fall. If you have any questions, please contact STMA headquarters at 1-800-323-3875 or at STMAinfo@STMA.org.
Sports Field Maintenance Manual Now Available
Sports Field Management, authored by Joann Gruttadaurio, is a management guide for sports turf managers at schools and communities with high-use sports fields. It can be purchased for $15 on line at www.nysta.org. The study was funded through the New York State Turfgrass Association. Gruttadaurio was formerly with Cornell University, and she is currently the Executive Director of the STMA-affiliated chapter, the Sports Turf Managers of New York.
Compost Awareness Week Starts Sunday
Join the millions who are committed to a healthier environment by composting and using compost as they celebrate International Compost Awareness Week, May 4-10. The objectives of the awareness efforts are to increase the diversion of organics from the main waste stream through increasing awareness of, and participation in, organics diversion initiatives (centralized composting, curbside, home composting, community composting) and to increase awareness of, and advocate for, the proper use of ‘soil-improving composts’. To find out more about what you can do to advance this initiative go to www.compostingcouncil.org.
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The 2-Minute Tip for Success
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According to the recent report, Volunteering in America , which was produced by the Corporation for National and Community Service, more than 65 million people in America volunteer. The reasons why people volunteer vary tremendously and are typically rooted in personal motivation. From altruism to keeping busy to responding to being asked, volunteers spend a median of 50 hours per year helping the causes of their choice. Besides personal satisfaction, the health benefits of volunteering also seem to linger beyond the act of volunteering.
Another benefit to volunteering is employability. Ninety-four percent of employers believe that volunteering adds to the skill set of employees, and 73 percent would employ a candidate with volunteer experience over someone who does not volunteer, according to a Reed Executive study. So, be certain you include your volunteer efforts on your résumé. Add a section: Community Service or Volunteer Work. If you do not have rich work experience, integrate your volunteer experience to strengthen your experience area of your résumé, but don’t call it “volunteer” - try Project Coordinator. Promote your achievements, such as the dollars raised. Emphasize the skills you applied, such as leading an initiative, training a team, planning a project, coordinating a subcommittee, speaking in public, writing press releases, articles, fliers, etc. These abilities can also be included in your Summary of Qualifications. If you are a student, volunteering demonstrates interests beyond the classroom. For workers who have had a gap in employment, it shows you’ve kept yourself sharp, and for those who are changing careers, it tells a prospective employer that you’re worth the risk.
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TURF RUNDOWN
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The USGA recently published the results of a study conducted at the University of Georgia on high-quality turf that could perform on salt-affected sites and withstand irrigation with salt-laden irrigation water. Two of the seashore paspalum cultivars are cited for use on athletic fields. To read about this study, which was published in Nov. 2007, click here.
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