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/27931
Allen: I’m kicking around the idea of using some vitrified clay on the skin to aid in moisture management this year. There are pros and cons to that in my situation here, but I think the pros may outweigh the cons. I actually made several changes to my maintenance plan for 2010, and hope to continue the implementa- tion of those practices this season. The main tasks I am speaking of are increased aerification, spot topdressing troublesome areas with calcined clay, and seed banking in common wear areas. One change I will be making is delegating all responsibility for carrying those 50-pound bags to my young, strong student workers, and having my boss, Peter Charcut, make all chemical applications. No, I have neither gotten lazy nor ac- quired a larger crew—if all continues to go well, my husband, Jay, and I will be having a baby in September! ST: What’s the best piece of turf management advice you have ever received? Allen: As my greatest sports turf mentor, Raechal Volkening has given me tons of useful advice, whether she’s realized it or not. One thing she stressed to me 10 years ago, when she was more confident in my ability to be a head groundskeeper than I was, is “If you’re faced with a situation you’ve never dealt with before, pick up the phone. Chances are, a fellow STMA member has been there, or knows someone who has conquered the challenge you’re experiencing.” An equally effective piece of advice that I now think of often is, “Remember, it’s just grass. In the grand scheme of life, it’s just grass. It isn’t really, but it is.” I can’t remember exactly who told me that, although a couple people are coming to mind. We can so eas- ily and unintentionally make our fields the first priority in our lives, or get worked up over details that are out of our control, es- pecially for those at high profile facilities. While there are very im- portant aspects to our jobs, we need to make a conscious effort to keep our priorities straight. ST: Speaking of which, how do you balance your work and per- sonal time? Allen:Work/life balance is not a big issue for me in my current position. I punch a clock and work a standard 40-hour week. The weekly daytime hours are when the fields are experiencing the least amount of use and I am able to perform necessary maintenance. Student workers are scheduled to cover the evening and weekend events. Having said that, I do understand that many turf managers are working 80-100+ hrs per week in season. I’ve been there and am very fortunate to have a husband who, in addition to helping out around the house, is a sports fan and sometimes comes to the ball- park to hang out with me during games. I used to bring my dogs to work too, where they got lots of attention and playtime (and had the job of chasing seagulls off the field). Whether you’re work- ing 30 or 130 hours a week, I’ve found that it’s very necessary to take your vacations and holidays and spend time with your family away from it all. Make sure the people you value know they’re a priority in your life. ST: What’s your most valued piece of equipment and why? www.stma.org ST: Are you yet involved in “sustainable” management prac- tices? If so, what are you doing? Allen: I do not use any of the latest technology/equipment that is available, or methods that would require any sort of renovation to implement. However, I believe responsible turf managers have been practicing “sustainable” management at least as long as I’ve been in the business, longer I assume. First and foremost, we implement good cultural practices to keep the turf as full and healthy as possible, which also limits pest infestation. We build a fertility program based on soil test results and plant needs, rather than blindly applying fertilizer. We irrigate based on turf needs and the weather forecast, particularly consider- ing evapotranspiration rates, which means there are weeks I’m ad- justing irrigation run times almost daily. Integrated Pest Management is a form of sustainable management. We identify pests and make more spot treatments than blanket applications of pesticides. We scout for insects; I have found a few grubs but not in quantities meeting thresholds to require insecticides, so I have not treated for grubs. Sometimes we use a backpack sprayer with herbicide to spot- treat weeds, and I’ll also mix herbicide in a spray bottle to carry with me on the mower and hit weeds when I see them. Our fungi- cide applications are more curative than preventative, and we al- ways use the lowest rate that will work in our situation. We monitor weather conditions and make applications accordingly, in- suring the greatest efficacy, and limiting things such as leaching, runoff, and volatilization. I do not believe 100% “organic” for ex- ample, is the way to achieve sustainability. Rather, educated and re- sponsible turf managers can be counted on to be environmental stewards. ■ SportsTurf 49 Allen: I would have to say my mower is my most valued piece of equipment. I’m tempted to say the aerator, but people aren’t going to complain to me if the field’s not aerated. The grass on our softball field grows the most consistently throughout the season, compared with our other fields. The soil is a native loam and holds nutrients better than our sand-based baseball field, and the soil’s not nearly as compacted as that on our practice fields. If I didn’t have the other pieces of equipment we use regularly on this field, I could get by. I don’t know what I would do without our mower, though. Even though they’re not pieces of equipment, I also value my student labor tremendously. I would not be able to produce a quality surface without them.