SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/605094
The Field of the Year Awards program is made possible by the support of sponsors Carolina Green Corp., Ewing, Graff's Turf, Hunter Industries, Pro's Choice, and World Class Athletic Services. CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD, Pleasant View Sports Complex, Boulder, CO FIELD OF THE YEAR WHY STMA SHOULD CONSIDER YOUR FIELD A WINNER? This field is consistently featured as the premier and championship field at the complex. This field is consistently rated significantly higher than other area complexes and fields in the area. In addition, no herbicides are used on the field allowing all us- ers to play without personal risk to known or un- known allergies. The field is managed to produce quality grass with high wear resistance, the lack of pesticides being used and consistent overseed- ing and fertilization practices provides for a field where there are absolutely no weeds present. Also, root depth of 12-18" is common, on this field, which provides adequate foot traction and en- hanced resistance to wear. All worn areas are enhanced weekly with addi- tional seed, topdressing and aeration in order to promote safe fields that reduce player injuries. An irrigation audit is performed in early spring in order to better provide appropriate water deliv- ery and promote water conservation. There is a weather station on site that provides updated information about the site in order to ap- propriately schedule Irrigation programs. The field is soil tested three times a year to ensure appropriate, yet not excessive, nutrient delivery. The field is consistently checked via a Clegg tool to insure safety compliance, both before and after major tournaments. Additional field value is achieved and surfaces are impressive considering the financial resource limits, location, level of play on the field, quality and conformance to ASTM standards, as well as location. The venue speaks volumes as it relates to users experiencing a holistic play experience that can be enjoyed by the entire user group with the backdrop setting of the Rocky Mountains, featur- ing the Boulder Flatirons. SportsTurf: What channels of communication do you use to reach coaches, administrators and users of your facility? Cogdill: We use different channels of communi- cation including online and print media. We cur- rently maintain two social media platforms (Twit- ter with 5,000 followers and Facebook with 1,000 followers). We also distribute our eBlast, an exter- nal listserv mainly consisting of more than 30,000 subscribers who are en rolled in our recreational programs, and contribute to partner leagues' list- servs (including frequent user groups). Pleasant View has also been featured in national turf and sports management magazines and our quarterly recreation guide that is published each season and sent to approximately 50,000 Boulder households. Finally, and most importantly, we value close Category of Submission: Sporting Grounds Sports Turf Manager: John Cogdill (currently); original entry was made by former sports turf manager Dan McGhee Title: City turf/Irrigation and sports field manager Education: Bachelor of Arts, CLIA Experience: 29 years of City Park and Sports Field develop- ment, softball, soccer, multi-purpose installation, renovation Original construction: 1993 Rootzone: 80% sand, 20% organic Turfgrass variety: A mixture of RPR bluegrass and RPR ryegrass Overseed: Broadcast seeding, slit seeding and spot seeding Drainage: Underground full herringbone design with 8" mainline tied with flexible 4" coiled plastic 40 SportsTurf | December 2015 www.sportsturfonline.com