38 SportsTurf | March 2015 www.sportsturfonline.com
Russ ChandleR
stadium
Georgia Tech
Category of Submission: College
Baseball
Sports Turf Managers: Jon DeWitt,
CSFM, & Chris May
Titles: Sports Turf Manager and
Baseball Field Manager
Education: DeWitt has a BA in English
Experience: DeWitt says, "I had a
unique opportunity to move to Atlanta
and work at Wesleyan School as both
an English teacher and grounds keeper
(they were really looking for a ground-
skeeper and kindly created a teaching
position for me). I quickly discovered
that Turf was my calling and moved to
managing that campus of 75 acres (12
turf) full-time after my first year. After 7
years at Wesleyan, the sports turf man-
ager position at Georgia Tech opened
up. They were a little apprehensive
about hiring me because of my lack of D1
experience, but ultimately the grounds I
maintained at Wesleyan won them over.
I have been here since 2007. During that
time I earned my CSFM and was presi-
dent of the GA chapter of STMA."
Full-time staff: 2
Part-time staff: 4
Original construction: 2001
Rootzone: 100% sand
Turfgrass variety: TifSport (outfield) &
Tifway 419 (infield)
Overseed: 17 lbs. perennial ryegrass
Champion GQ treated & 10 lbs. peren-
nial ryegrass Sunrise, Primo treated
(Pennington)
Drainage: Field is its own drainage system
essentially, with a ½% cone grade; high
point is mound transitioning to flat in out-
field and foul territory. Also, 10 inches of
sand over 4 inches pea gravel, with drain
tiles on 20-foot centers in gravel layer.
FielD oF the Year