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/356087
www.stma.org August 2014 | SportsTurf 11 use that begins in May and goes through October. If all fields are not needed on a particular weekend a rotation is set in place giving the needed fields as much rest as possible. Before each season begins we shorten the fields to provide goal mouth areas time to recover; when the first major event of the year takes place (generally June) we lengthen to optimum sizes. Fertility plays an important role as well. Since the complex opened in 2011 the soccer fields receive an average of 5.5 lbs/N/1000 per year. Soil samples are collected twice a year and any tweaks to the schedule are made. Granular applications are made every 4 weeks using a 50% slow release nitrogen ranging from .5/N/1000 to .75/N/1000. We supplement these granular applications with a foliar application at .10/N/1000 (25% SRN). Before major events micronutrients and amino acids are applied to help with recovery and stress from the anticipated increased traffic. It also helps aesthetically before play. Herbicides and other pesticides continue to get evaluated on a year by year basis. Landscape and common areas receive spring and fall applications for general weed control. The soccer fields tend to be more challenging as we are consistently overseeding. Additionally Poa annua control measures have been attempted. Imprelis, Tenacity, Prograss, and Xonerate have all been applied either as a weed or Poa control. The Sentinel Irrigation Central Control System, using three gateway field sat- ellites and including 863 heads and 198 valves, is also part of maintenance responsibilities. ET rates are generated by an on-site weather station. To enhance irrigation, improve drainage, and minimize localized dry spots, wetting agents are applied once a month for five applications per year. There is also one synthetic field lined for football and soccer. Maintenance includes sweeping and grooming the field monthly. Our complex has 15 acres of Native Plantings which are along the perimeter and between parking lots creating no-mow zones. A Rain Garden catches storm water from the maintenance facility and bioswales manage storm water runoff from the parking lots. Some contractual ser- vices are used to help properly maintain these natural areas. These services include invasive and weed control efforts. If time permits, staff is used to assist with contractual services to reduce overall costs. Our success would not exist without the dedicated staff. Our 2014 staff includes full-time employee Tony Diaz and seasonal staff members: Miguel Gonzalez, Joe Ayala, Tomas Medina, Fernando Fernandez, Paul Fish, Jr., Rich Krapf, Billy Biang, and Scott Gordon. Also, interning this year is Drew Fleagle, Purdue University student in the Turf Science and Management program. These are the guys that make it happen, and having a staff that buys into the big picture of what you are working to accomplish is extremely important. Trial and error are proving to be priceless as we have learned, and con- tinue to learn, what it takes to maintain the SportsPark soccer complex and to achieve all goals above and beyond expectations. Our "working for the weekend" attitude assists us in accomplishing this. ■ Noel Brusius, CSFM, is Maintenance Worker III – SportsPark/ Athletic Fields (Parks Division) for the Waukegan (IL) Park District; Mike Trigg, CSFM, is Superintendent of Parks for the District.