Sports Turf Manager Association

A Fired-Up General Session with Roy Firestone

The keynote presentation at the STMA Conference General Session will be presented by critically acclaimed broadcast journalist Roy Firestone!

He is also an accomplished singer, impressionist and humorist and will perform a multi-media review with a great message for sports turf managers. He will perform on Thurs., Jan. 18, at 3 p.m. at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. Firestone has won seven Emmy® Awards and seven Cable ACE Awards and has interviewed more than 5,000 people including nearly every major sports figure. This will truly be an incredible experience that you will not want to miss. His presentation is brought to you in partnership with World Class Athletic Surfaces.


17 Days to Showcase your Field/Nominate a Peer

The Oct. 16 deadline is fast approaching to enter your field in the Field of the Year Awards competition. A total of 14 fields could be selected to win this honor and your field could be one of them. Don’t delay. Being a Field of the Year award winner will bring greater respect and visibility to you, your staff and to your sports facility. Click here for the application and submittal requirements. (The application is now available in a Word-friendly format).

There are five field types for which awards may be given: baseball, football, soccer, softball and complex. For each field type awards may be given in three categories: professional, collegiate, and schools/parks. To be considered for the Complex of the Year Award, the facility must have a minimum of four fields and host a minimum of three different sports.

Oct. 16 is also the deadline for nominating a peer for a Founders Award. STMA honors the four Founders of the association by presenting these awards to deserving members who exemplify the true spirit of each of the Founders. Information on the qualifications for the awards is included in the Field of the Year Awards booklet .


On-line Conference Registration Opens

On-line registration opens on Friday, Oct. 6th for the 18th Annual STMA Conference, which is being held in San Antonio, Texas on Jan. 17-20, 2007.

The conference packs more than 66 hours of education and eight hours of networking with peers to learn from their best management practices. The conference brochure will be arriving on your desk this month. For an early preview, click here. (must have Acrobat Reader 6.0.2 or newer - you can download the most up-to-date version at www.adobe.com).


STMA Develops Spouse/Guest Package

STMA invites spouses and non-industry guests to attend the conference with their sports turf manager! A full conference package is available for spouses, which includes the Welcoming Reception, all breakfasts, lunches, admission to the trade show and the Awards Banquet. Spouses and non-industry guests are also welcome to attend any educational sessions.

STMA’s conference is nearly all inclusive for meals and snacks, and the special package for spouses/non-industry guests is very economical at $125. For each attendee, STMA’s per person food and beverage cost is more than $200 dollars. STMA is very appreciative of its industry partners who help us keep the costs to the attendee at a reasonable level. The spouse/non-industry guest registration must accompany the sports turf manager’s form or may be purchased on-site at the conference. If a spouse or guest wants to attend only a few functions at the conference, each event is available for ala carte purchase.


Convenient Scheduling for the CSFM test

Again this year, STMA is offering sports turf managers two opportunities to take the certification exam at the annual conference in San Antonio: Tues., Jan. 16 and Sat., Jan. 20, 2007. The exam covers agronomics, pest management, administration and sports specific field management. Successful completion of the exam entitles you to use the prestigious designation “CSFM” following your name. Certification validates your knowledge, skills and abilities as a sports turf manager and brings additional recognition to you as a professional who has achieved the highest level of recognition attainable in this industry. Contact STMA headquarters to determine if you are eligible to take the exam. If eligible, all sports turf managers who wish to take the exam at the conference must apply by Dec. 15. The exam also may be scheduled at a time and location convenient to you. For more information on the certification program, click here .

Renew Your Membership Online

Beginning Monday, October 2nd, you will be able to renew your membership online for 2007. It takes just minutes to fill out a simple form and continue your membership services without interruption. STMA will be issuing 2007 renewal notices in early November, but you can beat the rush by going online. You will be issued an electronic receipt immediately following your transaction. STMA’s dues have increased slightly for 2007 -- $110 for sports turf managers and $25 for students. The increase will allow STMA to provide more educational programs and services to members and to continue to build a prudent reserve fund for the future. In November, look for an updated web site and two more informational bulletins on natural and synthetic turf available on line.

Demands on the profession continue to rise. Environmental regulations, personnel management, changing technology, resource utilization, athlete and fan safety …the list of areas for which a sports turf manager has responsibility continues to expand in complexity. Obviously, doing a great job at your sports facility is paramount to your career success, but it takes more than doing a great job to garner respect and recognition. Your abilities as a sports turf manager will form other’s opinions of the profession, but your personal professionalism speaks volumes to your staff, your employer, your colleagues, the athletes who use your fields and the fans. Sports turf managers should view the non-technical aspects of their work as a critical aspect of their jobs.

Here are 10 ideas to help you gain recognition and bring respect to you personally, professionally and ultimately to the entire profession.

1. Do a great job. No amount of publicity, communication or civic goodwill will overcome poor job performance.
   
2. Be visible and talk daily with other managers. Make a point of talking with other departments’ staff. Your interest and sincerity will make them want to be a supporter and promoter of you.
   
3. Control your reactions and watch your non-verbal communication. The champions in business are able to shrug off distressing situations and regroup emotionally – that’s one reason they are successful. They also keep in check their non-verbal body language and facial expressions.
   
4. Promote your education and training. Put your diploma, STMA membership certificate and plaques in visible areas. Talk about concepts and ideas you learned at the STMA conference and at other educational events when you are in meetings with peers and with your employer.
   
5. Take responsibility for your own mistakes and for those of your subordinates. Blaming others, even if justifiable, makes you look small-minded and weak. Earn a reputation as a “fixer” of errors, someone who can snap back from setbacks and learn from mistakes.
   
6. Always answer criticism in a professional and courteous manner. Explain why there is a problem and what you plan to do about it. Never let it be assumed that you do not care. Take immediate action on complaints.
   
7. Adopt a “no surprises” philosophy. If there is a problem with the field, communicate the issue immediately and honestly to those who need to know, along with how you are addressing the problem. Proactive communication, even when it is bad news, contributes to your stature as a professional.
   
8. Hire a top flight team and support continuing education for them. Your image is affected by the image of your staff. Make them aware of their important role in promoting professionalism in the field of sports turf management. This includes their attitudes, care of equipment and courtesy to all with whom they come in contact with while on the job.
   
9. Be responsive and on-time. Return telephone calls and answer requests promptly, no matter how trivial they seem. Be on time for meetings. A reputation for always being late can influence people’s opinion of your performance.
   
10. Pay attention to the details. It’s the little things that can make or break you. For example, what does your work space say about you? A cluttered and dirty desk may make others think you don’t care or that you lack organization in all areas of your work.