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/34725
past colors that look off. I try and diagnose ‘every day and in every way’. I get a working hypothesis and try to get an action plan for what I just saw. “You can’t sight turf unless you know how grass plants grow in soils; you need some education and you can get it online these days.” He said a turf manager’s job description is basically a “daily update on working hy- potheses.” “Your maintenance plan should include a daily read-and-react. Sight turf your field(s) during the game. Watch the play from the knees down. Watch different position players and skill-types. Note the footwear being used. How is the field or pitch performing? After the game, check the depth of the divots whether they are “skates, moguls, flaps, wrinkles or blowouts,” he said. TIPS If others come to look at a problem, don’t try to sell them on your theory of what’s wrong, Kurcab advised. “Let them have their own diagnosis, maybe it will help.” Other tips included managing the weak- est link on your field; doing no harm—grass often knows how to solve the issue; and re- membering sometimes taking no action is the best action. Kurcab said it’s key to find out if your problem is man-made or natural. “See a straight line of trouble? That’s likely man-made. Kurcab said when tackling a problem make sure you determine if it is a safety issue, a playability issue or an appearance issue. “Remember in football, it’s between the sidelines that is important. Be sure to consider how much time you have to miti- gate a problem if it’s not affecting play. Teach your crew to sight turf to multiply the number of eyes watching the field,” he said. “The best advice is no good if you can’t execute it though. Try and boil down your plan to a simple sentence. Analyze the effec- tiveness of past treatments or solutions,” he said. “And always save a spot where you don’t spray when trying a different product; use it as a control spot to check for effective- ness of that product.” Kurcab urged the audience to use all their senses, with a nod against tasting your turf. But smelling is fair game. “Only sports turf managers smell their own turf,” he said. He recommended managers use a digital camera and its cheap storage to take a lot of pictures of your turf and to consider making a video as your check your fields that in- cludes a running commentary about the is- sues. He mentioned the infamous band camp that he wanted to make sure he re- membered about the next year. Kurcab closed by responding to a ques- tion about his biggest challenges as a turf manager. “I can figure out the fields; it’s managing people and staying calm in a stressful environment that is most challeng- ing to me.” ■ www.stma.org SportsTurf 23