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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/120370
plan for my future. My family was very supportive. My wife never said a word as I worked 16-hour days preparing. Around April, I finally made a decision. Now after 2 years of wrangling, I accepted a job with the school system. During this process my father's health had declined and he passed away toward the end of the season. I am so thankful I was able to talk with him about this and get his advice. MOVING FORWARD With my decision made, I turned in my notice and looked to the future. I would stay to the end of May and begin my new job on June 1, 2013. We were slated to take over July 1 so I wanted a month to get everything in order. The baseball and soccer teams were making deep runs into the playoffs so my schedule never relented. After looking at every possible angle we decided to do all the maintenance in house. Some of the other school fields were under contract so I would have a year to prepare. We leased a fleet of Toro equipment, posted www.stma.org two full time positions and a part time position. I decided to implement an internship program to fill the part time position. Using the month of June to prepare was soon thrown out the window. I learned that aerification/topdressing and resodding was scrapped by Parks and Rec so it would all fall on me. Instead of pointing fingers, once again we decided to buckle down and handle the situation. With our first game being televised and our new field house being dedicated, I knew a lot of eyes would be on us. Training the crew was done while we were in full swing. It turned out great because I learned what each person's strengths and weaknesses were. As a crew we were thrown right into action. They had to learn on the fly and under pressure. Football season went off without a hitch, and a lot of people said it was the best the field had ever looked. The team ended up winning a state championship so we are looking forward to another great year. Looking back at things I think every- thing turned out perfect. I wouldn't change my decision and I think the school system made the right decision. Next year we will be adding the remaining fields and picking up additional equipment and staff. I have had great support from everyone in the school system, from my department head, Keith Vincent, to the Superintendent and the School Board. They were determined to make this a success and they all stood behind me. Starting a department completely from scratch offered a lot of challenges; however, it has made me a better manager in the long run. I wanted to tell this story to help my fellow turf managers if they find themselves in a similar situation. Most of us are truly dedicated to our turf and do whatever it takes to give the athletes the best surface possible. Just remember if you always give your best it will pay off for you in the long run. n David M. Presnell, CSFM, is athletic fields manager for the Gainesville (GA) City Schools. SportsTurf 19