Sports Turf Manager Association

GrasStains DVD Now Available
The DVD, "Draggin’ the Line", that opened the STMA Awards Banquet on Fri., Jan. 18, is now available for purchase for $15, which includes shipping and handling. To order your DVD, contact grsstains@yahoo.com. DVDs from previous years are also available and include a 5-year set for $25. A percentage of the proceeds are donated to The SAFE Foundation by GrasStains Productions.


New CSFM Logo Debuts in Phoenix
The Certification Committee, chaired by Troy Smith, CSFM, unveiled its new logo at the certification breakfast, Jan. 17, during the STMA Conference. Those in attendance received new logo pins and those who were not able to attend Conference this year will receive theirs in the mail very soon.

The Certification Committee initiated the new logo, which was developed by STMA’s communications firm, Ackermann PR, to better align the logo with the association logo. As the committee continues to focus on growing the certification program, it saw the need to more closely tie the program to STMA. Developing a new logo that still provides a strong identity to the certification program, but one that highlights the colors and typeface of the STMA logo helps to accomplish that goal.

As part of the process, the entire certified membership was asked to vote on their favorite logo. More than 70 percent of those who voted selected this logo.


STMA Highest Honors Presented
The STMA Awards banquet held on Fri., Jan. 18, culminated in the awarding of the Founders Awards, STMA’s most prestigious honors.

Donald Fowler, retired Penn State Cooperative Extension Agent, (left) 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. Fowler has made a tremendous impact in his home state of Pennsylvania retiring after 30 years in extension. He was instrumental in organizing the STMA-affiliated chapter, KAFMO, and since1996, he has been the lead organizer of the group of volunteers who work the Little League World Series.

Dr. Mike Goatley,Jr. (left) Turfgrass Specialist at Virginia Tech, received the Dr. William H. Daniel Award, which acknowledges significant contributions to the sports turf industry through research, teaching and extension outreach. Goatley has been working in sports field research for many years. He’s an educator, a prominent author, and the go-to resource for warm season turfgrass questions.


The George Toma Golden Rake Award, which acknowledges an individual’s strong work ethic and job performance, was presented to Tony Diaz (middle) with Waukegan Parks Department in Waukegan, Ill. Diaz was cited as going above and beyond the expected to insure his fields are safe and playable, often working late to get fields affected by rain ready for play that evening. That perseverance is loved by the baseball teams who use his fields because there are virtually no rain-outs.

The Harry C. Gill Memorial Award was presented to former STMA board member Bob Curry (left) of Covermaster. The Gill Award recognizes an individual for their hard work in the sports turf industry and acknowledges their dedication and service to the STMA.Curry has been a long time supporter and promoter of STMA and the sports turf profession within the U.S. and internationally. In STMA’s lean years, he paid for board members expenses to board meetings to help out the cash-strapped organization and played an integral role in the STMA headquarters transition from outside management to its own staff, devoting much of his personal time to making the transition seamless.


Students Compete in 4th Annual Student Challenge
Students were able to take advantage of many activities specifically geared to them including two forums and the Fourth Annual Student Collegiate Challenge presented in partnership with the SAFE Foundation and Platinum Sponsor Hunter Industries. Through the generosity of SAFE, the Student Challenge provides the winning two-year team and the winning four-year team each with a $4,000 grant to fund a practical learning lab at their college or university. Ninety-nine students comprising thirty teams from various colleges and universities participated in a multiple choice exam on athletic turf and sports field management topics and identified plants, insects, diseases and weeds, as well as a written case study. Twenty-six teams competed in the event in 2007. Hunter Industries’ continued sponsorship picks up the tab for all Student Challenge competitors STMA Conference registration.
The winning team from the four-year competition was Pennsylvania State University Team 008, whose members were Matt Naedel, Tanner Del Valle, Mark Peasley, and Matt Elmore. Iowa State University made a very strong showing with Team 010 finishing Second and Team 003 Third out of 21 total teams in the four-year competition.
Eight teams competed in the two-year program, with Pennsylvania State University Team 104 taking top honors, making them the first school with winning two-year and four-year teams. Teammates Josh Dubbs, Blaise Restifo, Robert Finnegan, and Andre Aymar studied intensely leading up to the exam. Second place went to Michigan State University Team 103 and third place was taken home by Mt. San Antonio College Team 101.
The two first place teams will also have their team name etched in the traveling Student Challenge Cup, replicas of the Cup, and individual medals. Second and Third place winners received certificates and medals.
Complete results can be found here.


SAFE Receives a Record Amount from Golf, Auctions and Raffles
The SAFE Jacobsen Golf Tournament kicked off the conference on Tues., Jan 15, with 112 golfers competing at the Sanctuary at WestWorld, an Audubon Signature Course. Bob Schotte, Brad Godaire, and Joe Kennedy, III, CSFM won the A-Flight and Dave Wallace, Vickie Wallace, Abby McNeal, CSFM, and Steve Young won the B group. The tournament raised $15,272 from the players and from mulligans purchased at the course. With the tournament one day earlier this year, STMA members still showed that they love to hit the links for SAFE!

Some lucky STMA Attendees at conference also won handsomely, as the 50/50 cash raffle drawings on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, paid $530, $392, and $222 respectively. The SAFE Large Item Raffle provided excitement at the drawing, which was held before the Awards Banquet. A trip to Disney World, an iPhone, a Toro mower, roundtrip airfare to anywhere in the U.S., a two-night stay at the San Jose Marriott (next year’s conference location), and a free ESPN Golf School Experience were given away. The SAFE Live and Silent Auctions also provided attendees the chance to take home some great sports memorabilia, a Garmin Nuvi 660, two nights at the Phoenix Hyatt, athletic wear, tools, and numerous other items.

The brand new SAFE Raffles and revised SAFE Live and Silent Auctions brought in nearly $10,000 in its first year, making the event a resounding success. Thank you to all of you who donated items, time, and purchased items to make these events possible. In particular, STMA recognizes organizer and auctioneer Tom Curran for his outstanding work.

In total, the SAFE Foundation received more than $24,000, during the conference, passing that benchmark for the first time in the foundation’s history. These monies help SAFE to fund scholarships, research projects, the Student Challenge winners’ projects, and other educational programs throughout the year.