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/338693
48 SportsTurf | July 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com Field of the Year After a very successful and rewarding football season, Joe's inter- est in athletic field's management grew. Over the winter months, Joe was out on medical leave and I would send him sports turf-based questions to quiz him on spreader and sprayer calibration, fertilizer selection and calculations, etc. I found mentoring Joe to be extreme- ly rewarding and his passion for learning reenergizing to me. In April of 2013, my wife and I moved to Maryland, leaving my position open for Joe to apply. In order to become an Athletic Field Technician, he had to pass an employment test administered by the MHS. Joe passed the test with a perfect score and to hear the joy in his voice when he called to tell me was one of the greatest feelings I ever had as a sports turf manager. SportsTurf: What channels of communication do you use to reach coaches, administrators, and users of your facility? Any tips for communicating well? Joe Barr: In 2012 Jason Bowers, CSFM and our AD Dr. Sheila Deitrich decided it was time to include the athletics grounds crew in all necessary meetings. There is nothing better than a hand shake, face to face conversation. My assistant, Caleb Nippert, and I continue this today. We meet with the athletics managers every Monday. Every Wednesday the varsity athletic field tech, Mike Orban, and I meet with our supervisor, Phil Shirk, the manager of grounds and landscape. Every Friday Phil and I meet with Dr. Deitrich. Before every season we hold a meeting with the entire athletic staff. One tip I would offer: Just be honest with all. Honesty goes a long way during a long season. ST: What are your specific responsibilities? What is your favorite task? Least favorite? Barr: I perform all duties required to prepare, maintain and repair all athletics fields and neighboring intramural fields. Duties include fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, irrigation and field lay out for football, baseball, softball, soccer, field hockey, cross country, and track and field. My favorite is baseball, I love it. I could work on a baseball field from dawn to dusk. I have no least favorite. Milton Hershey School treats us very well. I enjoy coming to work every single day. ST: How did you get your start in turf management? What was your first job? Barr: After high school I played in a fast pitch softball league. I was one of very few volunteers to do field maintenance. From 1999 to 2011, I volunteered and led a field crew on many projects for the Annville Youth League and the Palmyra Baseball League. I really got the turf bug in 2003 when we completely rebuilt an unused baseball field. We completed it with backstop, dugouts, fencing, bullpens, and infield. We had NO large equipment help. All this was done with a lawn tractor and hand tools (I am not joking). We did it again at another location in 2008. That's when I decided this was what I really wanted to do and starting attending turf clinics at Lebanon Valley College and Penn State. My first actual sports turf job was 6 years in the making. With a very limited turf background but an obvious passion for this type of work, MHS and Mr. Shirk took a chance on me. I worked grounds mainte- nance and assisted on athletics. Mike Orban was the one that had the task of introducing me into the real turf world. I am a hands-on type person, not great in a classroom. Show me how and I will not forget. Mike had the patience to take the time to show me how. After I earned his trust, he would allow me lead many projects. I appreciate him very much for that. In 2012 Jason Bowers, CSFM was hired as Athletic Field Tech. I then became his assistant. Jason knew how bad I wanted to become an athletic field tech, he also knew I was not a classroom guy but I had to become one to pass my test. Well, he took me to school. We studied and he drilled me with questions every spare moment we had. He made me calibrate everything, every time. He would have questions on my desk waiting for me. When I was off for my shoulder surgery, Jason would e mail me from his home with questions. Jason then had me develop our 2013 turf program. In April 2013 I not only passed my MHS athletic field tech test, I aced it. I cannot thank him enough for what he did for me. ST: What practices do you use to keep your infield skin in peak condition? Barr: So glad you asked this question. Caleb Nippert and I com- pletely repaired our baseball infield last fall. There is no substitute for hard work and attention to detail. A little damp moisture in the morn- ing (not muddy or sticky) is ideal. Next a nail drag is perfect to work up about a 3/8" cushion. Then use a drag mat to get that perfect finish. After games and practices, pay attention to the area around the bases. Leading off the base and sliding will make holes. This needs to be pulled back and possibly rolled firm. Also pay attention to the lip around the infield. Good dragging technique and raking will go a long way in preserving this area. Pitching mound and batter's boxes need repaired and tamped after every use. ST: What changes if any are you considering or implementing for the winning field in 2014? Barr: Mike, the varsity field tech, his assistant Rich Guttendorf, Caleb, and I are always willing to learn better and safer practices for our student athletes. We attend conferences, clinics and openly discuss prac- tices with others in the industry. Time management is something we are battling the most. We have two techs with two assistants for Varsity and Jr. High. We have multiple fields for nearly every PIAA sport. Our facility is used by many outside organizations as well as daily physical education classes. Timing is everything for us. ST: How do you see the Sports Turf Manager's job changing in the future? Barr: Continued education and the growth in sports medicine will become a big part of our position. More fields are being built. There are more athletes at younger ages with all the travel leagues and after school programs. We need to concentrate on maintaining safe, playable fields. One of the very best sources for any sports turf manager is the STMA yearly conference. Last year was my first time. I was blown away at all the knowledge that was openly shared in the seminars, in the halls, in the restaurants. Everyone is willing to share everything to help each other learn more. From someone that never attended a full time college, I cannot express how important that is to me. This is a conference that should not be missed. Team owners, athletic directors, and supervisors at any level should consider send- ing their turf crews. Knowledge is power. ■ STMA would like to thank Carolina Green, Ewing, Hunter Industries and World Class Athletic Surfaces for their continued support of the Field of the Year Awards Program.