SportsTurf

September 2012

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.

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From the Sidelines Eric Schroder Editorial Director eschroder@m2media360.com 717-805-4197 P Love for turf manage- ment starts early in his backyard. The email was signed "Eddie Zajdel, Head Grounds Keeper and player, Ply- mouth Brewers, Plymouth MI." It read: "It all started 2009 when I constructed a little mound on the grass without my ERHAPS TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT'S ANSWER TO MIKE TROUT AND BRYCE HARPER, a young phenom has emerged who not only manages his field but also plays on it and owns it (well, sort of). I received an email over the summer from a 14-year-old youngster touting the wiffleball field he had built is planning to come and announce a game during our World Series. Later this year I am going to meet the Tigers' head groundskeeper, Heather Nabozny, for the second time. I emailed Eddie and asked if he wanted to be a groundskeeper when he grew up. "Yes I dad's permission. He was a little mad but soon saw all the [fun] I was getting out of it, so then he let me carve out a keyhole and batters box for the rest of that season, he said but then I finally convinced him to build the rest of the field, which took about 3 days. "Since then I have been mak- ing it better. [My goals] are to 'sods up' all along the lip edges and create a gate for anyone who wants to enter and indeed to protect it from the family dog. Currently we have 5 flood lights up and working and plan to in- stall another 2 before the World Series. We also are having a home run derby and All Star Game on the 11th and 12th of July after a donation of red in- field conditioner from Diamond Pro. Then the Brewers play by play radio announcer, Joe Block, do. I find passion in grass and dirt and I also enjoy getting my name out there. I like the feeling I get when I work on [the field]; it is a feeling that's very hard to explain but I know it's good because I always want to learn more and work harder." Did he build a hitter's park or a pitcher's? "I would pretty much call it a hitter's park be- cause the distances are short and the field is kind of enclosed which makes or ideal for homerun hitters," Eddie replied. He said he hadn't won his own World Series yet because he always loses to his cousin, who plays for the Westland Tigers. "One thing that I wish to accomplish in the future is not only becoming a groundskeeper but creating something like a public wiffleball field and starting up a league but the problem is the money," he concluded. Sounds like Eddie is already well-seasoned in many a turf manager's lament! ■ SportsTurfTu 1030 W. Higgins Road Suite 230 Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone 847-720-5600 Fax 847-720-5601 The Official Publication Of The Sports Turf Managers Association President: James Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D. Immediate Past President: Troy Smith, CSFM President-Elect: Martin K. Kaufman, CSFM Secretary/Treasurer: David Pinsonneault, CSFM, CPRP Vice-President Commercial: Rene Asprion Professional Facilities: Allen Johnson, CSFM Academic: Jeffrey Fowler Parks & Recreation: Debra Kneeshaw Higher Education: Jeffrey Salmond, CSFM K-12: Michael Tarantino, CSFM Commercial: James Graff At Large: Jay Warnick, CSFM At Large: Ron Hostick, CSFM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kim Heck STMA Office 805 New Hampshire Suite E Lawrence, Ks 66044 Phone 800-323-3875 Fax 800-366-0391 Email STMAinfo@STMA.org www.STMA.org Editorial EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Charles Forman EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Eric Schroder TECHNICAL EDITOR Dr. James Brosnan ART DIRECTOR Brian Snook PRODUCTION MANAGER Karen Kalinyak STMA Editorial Communications Committee Jim Cornelius, CSFM, Jason Henderson, PhD, Paul Hollis, Clayton Hubbs, Joshua McPherson, CSFM, Brad Park, David Schlotthauer, & Grant Spear SportsTurf (ISSN 1061-687X) (USPS 000-292) (Reg. U.S. Pat. & T.M. Off.) is published monthly by m2media360, a Bev-Al Communications company at 1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sportsturf, PO Box 4290, Port Jervis, NY 12771. For subscription information and re- quests, call Subscription Services at (845) 856-2229. Sub- scription rates: 1 year, $40 US & Poss.; 2 years, $65 US & Poss.; 1 year, $65 Canada/Foreign Surface, 1 year, $130 Air- mail. All subscriptions are payable in advance in US funds. Send payments to Sportsturf, PO Box 4290, Port Jervis, NY 12771. Phone: (845) 856-2229. Fax: (845) 856-5822. Single copies or back issues, $8 each US/Canada; $12 For- eign. Periodicals postage paid at Park Ridge, IL and addi- tional mailing offices. COPYRIGHT 2012, SportsTurf. Material may not be reproduced or photocopied in any form without the written permission of the publisher. 6 SportsTurf | September 2012 www.sportsturfonline.com

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