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/73468
STMA in action No sports turf manager on site? The SAFE Foundation can make a difference THE FOUNDATION FOR SAFER ATH- LETIC FIELDS for Everyone (SAFE) recog- nizes that not every field is managed by a qualified professional. Neighbor- hood fields are particularly challenged because they are often the lowest prior- ity for maintenance, and inexperienced volunteer parent groups may have the responsibility for upkeep. The economy also impacts these fields; maintenance dollars for low profile fields may be the first to be eliminated. SAFE has developed an industry- wide initiative, Sports and Recreation Fields -Safety First to create awareness about the importance of managed sports surfaces. This initiative will fund education, outreach, research and scholarships to advance the safety and sustainability of playing surfaces and help reduce sports field injuries due to the playing surface. Other organizations acknowledge that the playing conditions of fields and recreation areas are critical to the safety of athletes: • The National Athletic Trainers As- sociation has identified the need to check the playing area before practice or a game. They recommend checking regularly for debris, rocks, water and other hazards and removing these haz- ards before play. • SAFE Kids, USA, the non-profit or- ganization that promotes injury pre- vention for kids, cite properly maintained recreation areas for chil- dren enrolled in organized sports through schools and community clubs, as a proven intervention strategy for in- jury prevention. • In a position statement by the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the team physician is charged with assessing environmental concerns and playing conditions. • The Institute for Preventative Sports Medicine states that players competing on a potholed schoolyard surface often suffer ankle injuries, indi- cating that the safety of playing sur- faces is key. 40 SportsTurf | July 2012 • The Alliance to Address Youth Safety has as one of its four Calls to Ac- tion: to ensure sports equipment and fields are checked for safety and best conditions. These are important assertions by major organizations. What is missing is the "how" to make athletic fields and recreation areas safer. This is where SAFE can make a difference. The initiative "Sports and Recreation Fields-Safety First" begins with a 5-year fundraising campaign with a goal of $1 million. SAFE introduced this fundrais- ing effort to its membership in January. Called the "Grass Roots Campaign" so that members and chapters can show their ground level support, SAFE is seeking $100 from members over 5 years ($20 per year) and $1,000 from corporations over 5 years ($200 per year). Donors who pay their total 5-year amount in one lump sum, or donate $100 or more will be recognized as a member of our Foundation Club. Foun- dation Club members receive a com- memorative lapel pin. STMA offers an ACH option for mem- bers to spread the payment out over 12 months and have it automatically de- ducted from a checking account. As funds are raised, SAFE will be pur- suing partnerships with community and industry organizations to collabo- rative develop its programs that will di- rectly benefit communities. One element of its plan is to conduct an as- sessment to profile communities at-risk for poorly maintained sports fields. SAFE, with STMA, will engage its chap- ter network and its committees to help develop Best Management Practices for these at-risk fields. For more information on how SAFE is impacting the profession or to do- nate, go to www.STMA.org and click on the SAFE Tab. ■ Start now! STMA Field of the Year application ready NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME to begin preparing your 2012 STMA Field of the Year Application. The program requires photos from throughout the year and completion of the STMA PCI four times, so it is important to begin working on those items as soon as you can. Submitting an entry to the Field of the Year Awards program is now entirely elec- tronic. Applicants are required to fill out the writable form, which is located at www.STMA.org under the Professionalism Tab/Awards, and submit it electronically. Pho- tos are also required to be created in a Pow- erPoint presentation. The PowerPoint can be submitted through our online Dropbox ac- count (preferred) or applicants can send a CD or jump drive to STMA headquarters. These materials must be received at STMA head- quarters no later than October 15, 2012. The Awards Committee implemented the change to an electronic process to allow for remote judging of applications, to provide a fair process for all applicants regardless of the budget spent on the packaging of the submit- tal, and to focus on the field management practices. By applying for the STMA Field of the Year Awards, members gain recognition from their employers and community. Community ath- letic facilities are a point of local pride, and by applying for this program, and showcasing your expertise in the process, you can draw media attention and gain respect throughout the community for the hard work you, your crew and volunteers undertake making your field look and play its best. Each Field of the Year Award winner is pre- sented with a special plaque at the STMA Awards Banquet, held each year at the STMA Conference and Exhibition. This year, the Awards Banquet will be the evening of Janu- ary 18, 2013 in Daytona Beach, FL. In addition to the plaque, each STMA Field of the Year winner will receive free conference registra- tion, three nights of lodging at the conference hotel, STMA signature apparel, and a feature article in the official publication of STMA, SportsTurf Magazine. These awards are gener- ously supported by STMA's official awards sponsors Carolina Green Corp., Covermaster, Inc., Hunter Industries and World Class Ath- letic Surfaces. ■ www.sportsturfonline.com