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/40933
Facility&Operations | Community Service STMA members serving their communities >> STMA MEMBERS have Editor's note: Here are some outstanding examples of Sports Turf Managers Association members' volunteering time and effort to improve their communities. Of course there are many, many such examples throughout the coun- try, these are just a few high-profile examples. LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES Come the end of summer, millions from around the world turn their eyes to South Williamsport, PA when kids from all over the world play in the Little League World Series. With the players, coaches, man- agers and umpires on the field, announcers, scorekeepers, secu- rity, ushers, cameramen and tele- vision production crews in place everything is set to play ball. But wait, what about the field, is it ready? Is it safe for play? Will it look good on televi- sion? That portion of the series is left to members of Key- stone Athletic Field Managers Organi- zation (KAFMO) the Pennsylva- nia chapter of the STMA. "The chapter has been hon- ored to assist Little League Baseball with field preparation for 15 years" says Jeffrey T. Fowler, Penn State Cooperative Extension educator and Board member for the KAFMO Chapter and national STMA. "We arrive before the series be- gins, we level the playing sur- face, edge the fields, resod any areas that are worn from sum- mer play, all in preparation for the games that will be played and televised during the 10 days of the series. "Our number one goal is providing a safe playing surface for the kids to play on," says Fowler, "our goal is to provide the safest fields possible. "We have approximately 40 volunteers that are a part of the grounds crew. These volunteers are members of the state and/or national chapter of Sports Turf Managers. People take vacation time from their own work schedules and leave family at home to come to the series to as- sist with field preparations. Some stay for the entire time (2 weeks), others help out for a few days," Fowler continues. "The crew that we assemble is second to none for the LLWS, not only do they have the fields at the forefront of their minds, but their professionalism is second been volunteering at the Little League World Series for 15 years. to none. Having people realize that there is more to having safe field than putting down lines and mowing grass is also a goal of the group. Every night we re- move the lines, groom and water the infield, broom the edges of the grass, repair clay in the home plate circle and on the pitcher's mound, we tarp those areas as well, we groom the warning track and have the field ready for the next day." Thirty-four televised games in 10 days during late August takes its toll of the fields. Yet every year the grounds crew manages to battle through The crew that we assemble is second to none for the LLWS, not only do they have the fields at the forefront of their minds, but their professionalism is second to none. 12 SportsTurf | September 2011 www.sportsturfonline.com