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SPORTSTURF | LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION | OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT | ARBOR AGE SPORTSTURF ONLINE ENEWS STMA GREEN MEDIA CONTACT DIGITAL 3 www.sportsturfonline.com green media TM green on green TM ABOUT US PRINT 50 SportsTurf | August 2016 www.sportsturfonline.com Questions? Send them to 202 Kottman Hall, 2001 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 or sherratt.1@osu.edu Or, send your question to Grady Miller at North Carolina State University, Box 7620, Raleigh, NC 27695-7620, or email grady_miller@ncsu.edu Q&A with Pamela Sherratt Q : Why should I enter a career in turfgrass science and what jobs are open to me? — Bri Schneider, Sports Industry Major, The Ohio State University A : Before we get into the nitty-gritty about salaries and job prospects I'd like to spend a few minutes talking first about what a career in turf involves and why you should definitely consider it as an option. Careers in turf management involve working with plants and people, and so the fundamental knowledge needed to be successful in turf includes those related plant science, technology, engineering and math. Turf managers are also required to develop strong leadership skills in communication, project management, and personnel management, since a large part of their job may involve interactions with staff, field users, the general public, and the media. One of the greatest advantages to working in turf management is that there are plenty of opportunities to work outdoors. If you love being outside, an outdoor work environment can feel fulfilling on many levels and definitely contributes to a high quality of life. Enjoying fresh air and sunshine beats being stuck in a cubicle in an office building any day of the week. Most of us have experienced the feeling of utter peace and love for the job that occurs as you stand on an athletic field or a golf green at sunrise, just before a major game or tournament. That's a feeling that can't be beat. In addition to the love for outdoors, many people get into a turf career because they love and want to work around sports. A turf manager gets to play a role in success of the team by using his or her working knowledge of the sport to determine what Why be a sports turf manager? field conditions are best for the athletes. Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not state that a big advantage of working in turf is the turf community, the people. Basically, turf people rock. They possess a strong feeling of collegiality, a genuine desire to help young people succeed, and an uncanny ability to work hard but also enjoy life. If you want to work in an industry of genuinely good people, this is it. Now let's talk about the nitty-gritty. Looking to the future, job security looks good. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 178,000 first-line supervisors in turf management in 2014 (examples of job titles include Field Manager, Grounds Crew Supervisor, Grounds Foreman etc.). They predict that 39,000 job openings will be created in the next 10 years, with a projected industry growth of 5-8% during that same time period. If we assume that there are 50 university turf programs across the country, each producing 20 graduates per year (this number is high) it equates to 10,000 new turf graduates over the next 10 years, far below the needed 39,000 needed to fulfill industry needs. The bottom line is that there are far more jobs than people right now, and this trend will continue. A much-touted statistic is that more than 90 percent of graduates who earn a degree in sports turf management land a job right out of college. Few industries can rival that success rate. Looking at salaries, sports turf managers can make $35,000 to $100,000 per year depending on where they work. The highest salaries are typically at professional athletic stadiums or large sports complexes. The STMA has salary figures for 2012 posted on their website (STMA.org) and they are currently conducting a 2016 salary survey. Preliminary figures are as follows: A sports turf manager's mean salary is $65,300 and the median is $62,000. An assistant sports turf manager's mean is $45,149 and median is $43,000. (Disclaimer: Data provided in 2016 STMA Compensation Survey with 17.5% of members responding; the survey was still open as of this writing.) These figures are similar in nature to those reported by the BLS in 2015. In its most recent survey, the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that the average starting salary for a 2016 graduate with a bachelor's degree is ~$50,000. Remember that this is the national average, with some occupations much lower (education at 34K) and some much higher (engineering at 64K). Agricultural and natural resource careers were in the middle of that range. What's important to keep in mind if choosing a career in turf is that there is prospect for growth and promotion within the industry is very good. As mentioned earlier, the demand for good people is far going to outweigh the supply. Lastly, let's look at the types of careers available in the turf industry. They could be listed as: sports turf and grounds management (taking care of sports fields and/or facilities), turf or sod production and sales, product sales and marketing (for example seed and fertilizer), field construction, renovation and consultation services, and academia (teaching, research and consultation). While each one of these careers requires knowledge of turf they vary greatly in nature. My job has a large teaching component; a sports facility manager may have a large part of their day dealing with budgets, staff issues and media communications; while a baseball field manager may be preparing to host an All-Star Game or a Rolling Stones concert. That's also what's great about the industry; each day has new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow. It's never, ever boring, believe me! 50-ST1608-QA.indd 50 7/7/16 11:45 AM THE INTERVIEW 16 SportsTurf | August 2016 www.sportsturfonline.com This month in "The SportsTurf Interview," we feature Cale A. Bigelow, PhD, Professor-Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Turf Science and Management, Purdue University. Cale says, "The purpose of my research program is to provide practical information that enables turf managers of all abilities to grow the highest quality turf using the fewest management inputs (e.g. mowing, fertilization, irrigation and pesticides). This is being accomplished by emphasizing adapted turfgrass species and cultivar selection, proper establishment methods and employing sound cultural practices with an emphasis on soil fertility and nutrient management related issues." SPORTSTURF: What topics are you conducting research on currently? Bigelow: Lots of good stuff! Species and cultivar selection/ persistence are always at the forefront of what we are doing. In addition the work into drought-related projects is "mushrooming"! Lots of good stuff about to happen there. Lastly, the whole area of alternative products and using biologicals for turf care is a strong current focus. ST: What do you see as the biggest challenges moving forward in turfgrass research? Bigelow: [Money] for applied/practical projects that benefit our field managers. There simply is not enough money outside of the large projects at a select few universities. But we do the best we can. ST: How do you attract students to your turfgrass program? Bigelow: Much of it is word of mouth. I use social media bit and get a few things via that stream, but our alums are a big help too. The problem though is getting the students an opportunity to experience the hands-on "work" in the summers during high school. Students have a great deal of competing commitments to become "elite" (pick your sport or activity). No time to work when you are at camps or training. ST: Has social media impacted your work in any way? THE SPORTSTURF INTERVIEW: DR. CALE BIGELOW, PURDUE UNIVERSITY Bigelow: I love it, SM keeps me connected with the newest trends but also our industry. ST: How do you think the profession and industry will change in the next 10 years? Bigelow: Hopefully we will have turf managers that even more technically competent and able to deliver a quality/safe product with the fewest inputs needed. I am excited for these young people and what they will deliver to the table. My hope is that these "professionals" are actually fairly compensated for their education and efforts. That is a real challenge to retention in our industry. ST: How do you think the natural turf vs. synthetic turf issue will play out over the next decade? Bigelow: There will always be a place for both. Climate, intensity of use and user expectations all drive this. Hopefully we will have a better understanding of the risks on both sides. Plain and simple we want our athletes particularly the younger ones to have the safest fields, period! ST: How has your career benefitted from being a member of STMA? Bigelow: Tremendous networking opportunities. I love staying in touch with former students, new and old turf nerd friends and also the ability to see what is new and solutions to practical problems in our industry. ST: What are your passions and interests outside of work? Bigelow: I know it's a bit cliche but I am really focused on my family and making sure the two young people in my house get launched into the world to make it a better place than it is today. Not exactly sure what they will end up doing for a career but as long as they contribute as citizens with an attitude that is not "All about me!" I'm good with that. In addition, we have two yellow Labradors (age 2-4) that take a bit of time to keep them properly exercised. Beyond that I enjoy tinkering with some DIY home projects and traveling to warm places that involve sandy beaches when I get a chance. Plain and simple we want our athletes particularly the younger ones to have the safest fields, period! 16-ST1608-Interview.indd 16 7/7/16 10:51 AM 8 SportsTurf | December 2015 www.sportsturfonline.com T he best compliment Amy Fouty, CSFM, could hope to receive as Michigan State University's sports turf manager came to her in the form of an unspoken vote of confidence. Six inches of snow had blanketed East Lansing during the days before MSU's Nov. 22, 2014 home football finale, and Fouty's crew worked around the clock to get the field in Spartan Stadium ready. With a major bowl bid hanging in the balance, it would have made sense for a detail-oriented coach like Mark Dantonio to call for updates on footing or anything else that could affect his game plan. "There was snow, ice, we plowed the field and we shoveled the stadium in single-digit-temperature condi- tions," Fouty said while sitting on bench overlooking 72,000-square feet of impeccably manicured turf in Spartan Stadium on a warm, sunny day. "It was an incredible undertaking and the hardest working week in my life." But the connection between Fouty and Dantonio's phones remained idle right up to kickoff. "I never got a call from the football office, so they weren't worried at all about what was going to be waiting here on Saturday for the team," Fouty said. "Personally, that meant the most to me of anything—not getting a call." Fouty and her crew's contribution to a 45-3 victory over Rutgers helped pro- pel the Spartans into the Cotton Bowl where they defeated Baylor to complete a fourth 11-or-more win season in 5 years and finish with a No. 5 ranking in the national polls. In her 11 years as the caretaker of MSU's sports fields, including competi- tion and practice, natural and artificial, Fouty has earned the trust of Spartan coaches through her innovation, dili- gence and leadership. "Amy and her staff do a tremendous job with the turf," Dantonio said. "This is like her baby, so there's never a ques- tion in my mind that she's going to do everything she can to make sure the turf is in a playable condition, and I really think we have one of the greatest fields in the country. I really don't worry about it because she's a perfectionist and that gives me great peace of mind. I've been that way since I've been here." Nevertheless, Fouty never took her role or the trust of Dantonio and MSU's other coaches placed in her for granted. FOUTY DELIVERS OFF-THE-FIELD VALUE TO MICHIGAN STATE FACILITY & OPERATIONS ■ BY STEVE GRINCZEL Michigan State's mascot, Sparty, enjoys an issue of SportsTurf. Content SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers and facilities directors. Readers range from professional levels through parks and recreation, universities and colleges, and K-12 schools, and also include athletic directors and coaches. Our editorial goal is to assist our readers in producing safe and aesthetically pleasing playing surfaces for athletes of all ages and skill levels. As the national voice of the Sports Turf Managers Association, SportsTurf represents and strengthens the recognized leaders in the industry. Facilities & Operations Monthly section devoted to off-the-field issues of importance to sports turf managers such as staff management, budgeting, job advancement, workplace safety, etc. Field Science The most up-to-date turfgrass research and best management practices presented in each issue from the leading university turf programs and influential turf managers from across the country. The SportsTurf Interview Meet leaders and other interesting members of the sports turf management industry every month. Q&A Monthly column (facing inside back cover) written alternately by Dr. Grady Miller of North Carolina State University and Ohio State sports turf specialist Ms. Pamela Sherratt, responding to questions from readers on all aspects of turf management.

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