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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Field Science | By Stacie Zinn Roberts 50 Years: Willie Leak maintains TifGrand bermudagrass at RFK Stadium he iconic Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, affectionately known as RFK, was built in 1961, and was then called District of Columbia Stadium. In 1969, a year after the assassination of Senator Kennedy, the stadium was renamed in his honor. By that time, Willie Leak, head groundskeeper at the stadium, had already been working at the Washington, D.C., facility for 4 years. This year, Leak celebrates half a century of service T Leak began his career at RFK as a part-time member of the grounds crew. In 1969, he was hired to the full-time crew. In 1997, he was promoted to head groundskeeper. "Something here just draws me," Leak says, "and makes me come here everyday." WILLIE LEAK, head groundskeeper, RFK Stadium. Photo credit Nick Woodall, Mike B Photography. 38 SportsTurf | January 2014 IN 1994, RFK hosted the FIFA World Cup; this game featured the USA v. Germany. Kea Taylor, Imagine Photography. at RFK. "Something here just draws me," Leak says, "and makes me come here everyday." Leak began his career at RFK as a part-time member of the grounds crew. In 1969, he was hired to the full-time crew. In 1997, he was promoted to head groundskeeper. He's held the position ever since. "I haven't missed any games. I've been here for quite a few things," Leak says. Those few things include 35 years as the home of the Washington Redskins NFL football team and nine years as the home of the Washington Senators Major League Baseball team. Since 2011, RFK has been the venue for the NCAA AT&T Nation's Football Classic, featuring teams from the traditionally black universities Howard University and Morehouse College. The 45,423-seat stadium was the site of concerts by the Beatles in 1966; Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in 1985; the Jackson Five in1974 and 1984; and U2 in 1987, 1992 and 1997. RFK has hosted many religious, memorial and charitable functions. Of note are the 2009 National Day of Service for Our Military when more than 12,000 volunteers joined First Lady Michelle Obama to create 85,000 care packages for troops serving overseas; and United We Stand, a 2001 benefit concert spearheaded by Michael Jackson to benefit victims of the September 11th attacks. In recent years, RFK has been a Mecca for soccer-related events. In 1994, RFK hosted the FIFA World Cup. In 1996, the stadium hosted nine soccer games over six www.sportsturfonline.com