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/82015
F.O.Y. | The Jungle SportsTurf: What channels of communication do you use to reach coaches, administrators and users of your facility? Any tips on communicating well? Hopkins: Most of my communication goes through the Athletic Director. He is then in touch with coaches and ad- ministrators daily. We all find e-mail and cell phones as our primary line of communication. Since students are my work force, I learned text messaging rather quickly. Our school and athletic department both have great websites so this is a great resource to get information out fast and to a large number of our end users. With that being said I am still from the "old school" and believe face to face meetings and conversations are the most effective way to communicate. a number of other hats at Louisa County High School. I am the CTE Department Chairperson and because I teach Turf Science, I took the responsibility of maintaining the football stadium. I also help retired baseball coach Bill Pelot oversee the baseball field, softball field and practice facilities. Because I also teach agricultural mechanics and have a shop, I do a lot of the small repair jobs not only with the turf equipment and facilities but also around the school. job? SportsTurf: What do find most enjoyable about your Hopkins: Without a doubt what I find most enjoyable about my job is teaching students how rewarding and chal- lenging managing sports turf can be. Most students come to me thinking that this career is mostly mowing grass. I always tell my students the first day of class that by the end of the se- mester when they turn on the TV to watch a game being played on turf, they will be looking more at the grass than the play on the field. The other thing that I find most enjoyable is going to the stadium the night before the first home game, turning on the lights, sitting back in the stands and looking out over the field. That's when you realize the entire years work to get to that point was worth it. would be aerification. It's always hot, you are traveling about 1 mile per hour and at each pass the field looks bigger and bigger. SportsTurf: What task is your least favorite and why? Hopkins: I would have to say my least favorite task ment? What was your first sports turf job? Hopkins: I kind of backed into this field. I contribute SportsTurf: How did you get started in turf manage- getting started in the business to my brother who owns Inno- vative Turf Applications and Consulting, Inc. He helped me start a business 10 years ago servicing and grinding reel mow- ers. I also have an excavating business through which I have helped him build, grade, or install irrigation on athletic fields. So when the opportunity arose to teach Turf Science 3 years 38 SportsTurf | September 2012 SportsTurf: What are your specific job responsibilities? Hopkins: My contract says that I am a teacher but I wear The Jungle monthly maintenance plan JANUARY • Preventative maintenance on equipment and sharpen reels • Apply any lime recommended from soil test FEBRUARY • Apply Ammonium Sulfate 21-0-0 at .75 lbs. N/M to start waking up rye- grass • Order paint for season MARCH • Start mowing about mid March at 1" • Apply Ronstar pre-emergent at 3 lbs. per acre APRIL • Mow at an average of twice per week at 1" • Spray three way herbicide for broad leaf weeds if needed • Start up irrigation and perform audit MAY • Mow three times per week at 1" • Spray revolver herbicide to transi- tion out the rye grass and release the Patriot at 17 oz. per acre • Shatter tine aerate • Spray Roundup around edges and posts at 1.5 lbs. N/M JUNE • Mow three times per week • Apply ammonium sulfate 21-0-0 at .75 lbs. N/M • Adjust cutting height to .75" • Deep tine aerate 1.25" x 12" • Evaluate high traffic areas and de- cide if to sprig • Slice aerate to promote lateral growth • Topdress with compost • Run irrigation as needed JULY • Mow three times per week at .75" • Slice aerate to promote lateral growth • Apply 30-10-10 50% poly coated at 1.5 lbs. N/M • Spray Roundup around edges and post • Monitor irrigation daily • Hand irrigate areas on field not getting enough water • Post-emergent spray MSMA for summer annuals if needed 1.5 quart/acre AUGUST Mow four times per week; adjust cutting height to 1" at mid month Shatter tine aerate Slice aerate to promote lateral Apply Ammonium Sulfate 21-0-0 at www.sportsturfonline.com • Apply 30-10-10 50% poly coated • Run irrigation as needed SEPTEMBER Apply growth regulator to slow top growth and promote lateral growth Mow at 1" twice per week Apply blue tag certified perennial rye grass at 500 lbs per acre Apply starter fertilizer 14-28-14 at .5 lbs. N/M Sweep field after varsity football games to remove thatch pulled up by cleats Roll field if needed after games Paint logos, lines, hash marks and numbers before games Run irrigation when needed Walk field to replace divots after each game Spot overseed high traffic areas after each game OCTOBER Mow average of twice per week at 1" Apply Blue Tag certified perennial rye grass at 500 lbs. per acre Apply starter fertilizer 14-28-14 at .5 lbs. N/M Slice aerate to incorporate ryegrass Sweep field after varsity football games to remove thatch pulled up by cleats Roll field if needed after games Paint logos, lines, hash marks and numbers before games Walk field and replace divots after each game Spot overseed high traffic areas after each game NOVEMBER Winterize irrigation Apply Blue Tag certified perennial ryegrass at 500 lbs. per acre Slice aerate to incorporate ryegrass Last mowing DECEMBER Take soil samples Reflect on past year's deficiencies and plan for next year's accomplish- ments .75 lbs. N/M Monitor irrigation daily Clean side drains and edge grass along them Hand irrigate areas on field not get- ting enough water Locate and mark corners of field Have large logos surveyed and points marked Use stencils to lay out rest of logos and paint all logos 2 weeks before first game Grind reels and bedknives on reel mower