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/533607
FIELD SCIENCE 20 SportsTurf | July 2015 www.sportsturfonline.com Since the Latitude offered such a "dense mat layer," next year he intends to verticut a bit more aggressively before overseeding again. Transitioning out of ryegrass over- seed back to bermudagrass is usually tricky business. Yet, this past spring, the first year the football and soccer fields transitioned out of the ryegrass back to the Latitude 36, was almost stress-free. "It has provided us with the fastest transition we have ever seen. Other than a color difference between the perennial rye- grass and Latitude bermudagrass, there has not been a lack of significant cover to tell we have switched between the two grasses during the transition," Salmond says. He's also happy with the over- seed results of the NorthBridge Bermudagrass on the practice fields. "So far it is the only grass that we have been able to use that will actually help take the overseeded ryegrass and provide enough cover for the ryegrass to germinate and sustain through a rigorous practice schedule for football, and provide a protective cover for the bermuda in the early spring," he says. "We like both grasses, with the Latitude 36 being a bit darker green than the NorthBridge." In the 1980's and early 1990's, the field at Memorial Stadium had an artificial turf surface. In 1994, it was switched back to natural grass. "I am a believer in the best and safest surface for our student-athletes to help them achieve championships," Salmond says. "A well-maintained and mani- cured natural grass surface can provide the best playable and safest surface out there. Most athletes would agree a well- kept natural grass field is the preferred surface to play on." He adds, "It benefits the environ- ment. Natural grass plays a vital role in our oxygen and carbon dioxide." Salmond began his career as an assis- tant field manager for the Baltimore Ravens, followed by stints at University of New Mexico and Northwestern University. His wife, Loida, also works at the university and their three chil- dren (with a fourth on the way) all spend time on campus "growing up being field and gym rats "Growing up, I was a Brian Bosworth fan. I never thought that my career would bring me to Oklahoma. I have been blessed from having great mentors and friends in the turfgrass industry who have helped me along the way. I am thankful that our athletic director, Joe Castiglione, gives us the tools and resources for our athletic field management department to be successful," he says. Salmond's reaction to the fact that both Latitude 36 and NorthBridge were developed by the turfgrass research program at Sooners rival Oklahoma State was diplomatic. "One thing they can do," Salmond says, "is breed good grasses." ■ ST