SportsTurf

September

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.

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Facility&Operations | Mike Andresen, CSFM >> MIKE ANDRESEN, CSFM, handed over the reins to Jack Trice Stadium's field to Tim VanLoo, CSFM. Points to consider about moving into facilities management faces they do presently. Another segment aspires to see if the neighbor's grass is greener. Some of us work toward the dream of being "in the big leagues," which may mean something com- pletely different to you than to me! Others set a goal of moving into a higher level of administra- tion. This move could mean many different things depending upon what your organization looks like. The turf management industry con- tains so many different job titles and opportuni- ties it can make you dizzy! During the fall of 2008 senior administra- M tion at Iowa State University Athletics asked me to consider expanding my role from that of the turf manager to that of Facilities and Grounds Manager and soon thereafter, Direc- tor of F&G. Primary in their focus was a planned two phase renovation for Jack Trice Stadium, a 50,000 seat on-campus stadium. During this same timeframe Athletics was also scheduled to assume management of the 14,000-seat arena, Hilton Coliseum, which 8 SportsTurf | September 2011 ANY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS that pick up this magazine every month are perfectly content with managing the playing sur- was then being managed by a third-party management company. Even today I'm not sure if I was offered the opportunity or if it was forced on me. Bottom line is I was ready for a new chal- lenge and had felt that way for a while. Thoughts of managing fields at a different facility had been coming daily. My expert- ise was in managing athletic fields so— honestly—the thought of moving into or absorbing facilities management hadn't oc- curred to me, let alone doing it for my present employer. As we often times do, I took the path of least resistance and started almost from scratch learning a new industry: facilities management. In our profession, maybe more so at the college and high school levels, this transition to facilities management is fairly common. As sports turf managers we work extremely hard to be in position of influence with administrators. We know watching countless events hosting count- less fans have taught us a few things about "what works and what doesn't" when dis- cussing operations. The daily grind of field and facility preparation has taught us soft skills important to position us to be influ- ential in our work micro-environment. Many sports turf managers wind up walk- ing the path I'm on. Some are very good friends and I've watched from a distance for years at how your transition played out and is playing out. Please let me say "you make it look much easier than I've found it to be!" To be clear, by most accounts I'm doing OK but every day brings new chal- lenges. I'm also caught thinking, "I have no idea what those people are talking about" more often than is comfortable. There are six points I'd like to make to those in position to, or who might be con- sidering a move to directing facilities as well as the grounds departments at school or university or other entity. Close your mouth and open your ears. I believe it was STMA giant, the late Dr. Henry Indyk, that spoke the following quote at a long ago National Conference and I never forgot it: "The more you talk, the dumber you get." Not sure if it was a general statement or specific to me, but as long as I live it'll be locked down to mem- ory. I just wish it was easier to do! My expertise is not in knowledge of the fine aspects of plumbing, electrical or me- chanical systems. Knowing this, I rely on people having a basic need to help others. STMA members do it collectively better than any group in the world. Take advan- tage of employees, peers, commercial friends and any other quality resource to help you learn what you don't know. It sometimes takes a few times knocking on my brain before it opens up and the light of understanding turns on. As sports turf managers know there are many ways to accomplish the same task. Since many times I don't even know one way to accomplish some of these tasks, it's in my best interest to turn the exercise of learning into multiple choice by asking numerous folks their opinion and then picking the most reasonable one. I also know that just because some- one thinks they have the answer to my www.sportsturfonline.com By

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