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/86038
F.O.Y. | SoccerPlex Stadium cover a wide spectrum of challenges. The "basic" piece of my posi- tion at Maryland SoccerPlex is to direct grounds maintenance and environmental management for the 22-field, 160-acre soccer park that hosts over 6,500 events per year. I also oversee many of the outdoor facility and infrastructure maintenance pieces as well. Ad- ditionally, I am responsible for the implementation of a 5-year/$5 million field development and improvement plan that was created to meet the needs of our patrons and increase capacity and rev- enues. Royals called Dr. Ervin to talk about the opportunity his grounds crew had for interns. As a childhood Royals fan, I jumped at the chance and I have worked in sports turf ever since. winning field in 2012? Minnick: In order to meet growing demand and continue to While I am in charge of many different things, that is only pos- sible because of the hard-working and dedicated team of people that work in supporting those tasks. All that I oversee is maintained by a core group of eight people. Ryan Bjorn is the day-to-day Grounds and Environmental Manager. Working with Ryan are two assistant managers, Julie Adamski and Dusty LeVan. Our working crew foreman is William Godoy, and our senior equipment opera- tor is Joel Cruz. Christian Mejia and Caesar Chavez work as daily support staff members that lead other seasonal and part-time staff members that we rotate through on an as-needed basis. I am indebted to this team for the success that we are able to achieve each and every day. I am also grateful for hard work and dedication of past managers that helped build the foundation for SoccerPlex field quality and set the stage for the FOY Award. Nick Lievense, now responsible for baseball and soccer at University of Purdue, was part of last year for the award. John Torres (head groundsman at PPL Park in Philadelphia) and Matt Carroll (now a manager with John Deere Landscapes) also were essential pieces for our team to win the FOY award. methods, approaches, and ideas to maintain high traffic grass fields to a professional level. The idea that grass fields will not take heavy traf- fic to me is just a misconception. Every day we try new things to be able to push grass fields further and further in a transition zone cli- mate that saw 66 days over 90 degrees 2 years ago and the coldest and wettest September and October ever last fall. And every day we find a way to succeed with better quality fields, even under increasing traffic demands. There is no doubt that my favorite part of what I do is cre- ating the methods to change that misconception about grass fields. SportsTurf: What do find most enjoyable about your job? Minnick: My favorite part of my job is being able to create new I work hard to always think positively and in a pro-active manner. So with that, I do not think about things that I do not like. mowing yards around our family farm. That venture progressed into a golf course maintenance job in high school and into my ca- reer choice in college. My start in sports turf management came completely by chance as a sophomore golf course turf management student at the Univer- sity of Missouri-Columbia. During an office visit with my professor Dr. Erik Ervin (then at Missouri), Trevor Vance of the Kansas City What was your first sports turf job? Minnick: Turf management started for me as a young boy 40 SportsTurf | October 2012 SportsTurf: How did you get started in turf management? SportsTurf: What task is your least favorite and why? Minnick: With that, there is not a part of my job that I dislike. SportsTurf: What changes if any are you implementing for the provide a high quality field surface under high traffic, SoccerPlex Stadium underwent an entire renovation the last week of August 2012, even after winning this award. The field required the renovation because of a heavy poa annua infestation and a thick organic layer that had built up from an orig- inal sod layer over 12 years. With the renovation, the field now will require less pesticide and water to maintain the poa annua. Additionally, the field will be able to increase on its more than 700 hours of events in 2011 with the removal of the organic layer that compacted quickly from traffic. The renovation took place over a 5-day span during the last week of August following the ACC-Big East Challenge with Euro- pean influence and support. The organic layer was removed, sand was added back to allow laser grading of the surface, the stability fiber "turf grids" were mixed in with the new sand, and the field was re-seeded with Kentucky bluegrass on September 1. It will re- open October 6, 2012 for Discovery Cup, then will play host to several DC and Maryland area fall soccer champions before hosting the ACC Men's Championships on November 9 and 11. Seeding, instead of sod, was chosen for 3 factors: 1) elimination of the sod-to-sand interface layer; 2) to reduce cost; and 3) reduce the environmental impact of trucking. Timing, 5 weeks, and time of the year, September, made seeding an easy decision for the field to re-open on Oct. 6, 2012. changing in the future? Minnick: The role of the Sports Turf Manager is currently in a state of positive evolution. Sports facilities are in need of additional revenue and field users are in need of higher quality playing surfaces. Sports Turf Managers are being called on to meet the demands of in- creased traffic with higher quality fields on a smaller budget. These factors provide Sports Turf Managers the opportunity to SportsTurf: How do you see the sports turf manager's job reach an entirely new level of professionalism. This is the point in time that the industry gets to move past the stereotype of being just "the person that mows the grass." This is the time that Sports Turf Man- agers illustrate their wide range of skills: As a soil scientist, a plant physiologist, and a chemist working with grass and fertilizers. As a per- sonnel manager, a team builder, and a teacher working with their staffs. As a uniting leader, a communicator, and a member of the team on the field empowering coaches, athletes, and administrators. With the demands and needs of grass fields increase every day and with new technologies, forward thinking, and creative ideas, we as Sports Turf Managers have the opportunity to increase our value and illustrate how we are extraordinary. Positive thinking and a can- do attitude will set a new level of professionalism that will equate into increased respect and appreciation from players from recreation level to professional, from executives, and from fans. What a great time to be in our industry! ■ www.sportsturfonline.com