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/621615
FROM THE SIDELINES L ast month the US women's soccer team refused to play an exhibition match in the University of Hawaii's Aloha Stadium because they deemed the aging synthetic surface unsafe. This stance was preceded by one of their teammate's suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a noncontact injury while practicing on a natural turf university field that the team also called unsafe. The Baltimore Ravens recently announced they are switching from an artificial turf field to natural grass at M&T Bank Stadium for the 2016 season. According to news reports, the Ravens made the change after players expressed a desire to play on grass (though fear of injury was not specified). While a report here and there doesn't prove anything, as an avid sports news follower and father of three young athletes, I wonder if there is an increased awareness of and concern for the safety of athletic fields. Unfortunately my kids have played baseball and soccer on some fields that were clearly unsafe, and every time I see it I make sure the other parents in attendance realize it, too. My kids acknowledge when they have just competed on a field in good shape; it's obvious to even heads-in-the- clouds teenagers. The explosion in the number of youngsters competing in many sports year round should be good for the sports turf management industry; more fields means more jobs, right? There are "destination" sports complexes being built all over the country. But again, in my lim- ited experience, especially for baseball, most of the facilities I've visited with my oldest son's travel team would not come close to passing an STMA safety/maintenance checklist. I think the outrageous cost of college edu- cations today is one reason there are more and more travel teams and events now; whether they admit it or not, many parents are hoping maybe their son or daughter will develop into a good enough player to get some financial help from an institution of higher (revenue). If only all these wishful parents would insist that the surfaces on which their young athletes compete were safe! RIP Leo Goertz Last month veteran Texas A&M field manager Leo Goertz passed away, much too soon. Many STMA members will especially feel the loss at the San Diego Conference this month since Leo was the epitome of what the organization stands for: strengthening the industry through professionalism and education, along with a big gulp of camaraderie. Leo was always a visible presence at the 14 STMA Conferences I've attended; a big man proudly wearing Aggie Maroon with a friendly word to even hangers-on like me who wanted to talk football. No one in the room was sur- prised in 2011 when he was named the Harry C. Gill Memorial Award winner, STMA's high- est honor; Leo was the ideal of what an STMA member should be. To quote from his obitu- ary: "Called upon to speak at many teaching situations, Goertz hired outstanding assistants and students who have gone on to become groundskeepers across the country. One of his greatest joys was passing along his knowledge to young turfgrass students." ■ ST Eric Schroder Editorial Director Eschroder@epgmediallc.com 717-805-4197 6 SportsTurf | January 2016 www.sportsturfonline.com EPG Media & Specialty Information 10405 6th Ave. N., Ste 210 Minneapolis, MN 55441 The Official Publication Of The Sports Turf Managers Association SALES REPRESENTATIVES Chris Pelikan Senior Account Manager - East Phone: (954) 964-8676 cpelikan@epgmediallc.com Peggy Tupper Senior Account Manager - Mid-West Phone: (763) 383-4429 ptupper@epgmediallc.com Leslie Palmer Senior Account Manager - West Phone: (763) 383-4460 lpalmer@epgmediallc.com EDITORIAL Group Publisher: David Voll Editorial Director: Eric Schroder Technical Editor: Dr. Joey Young Art Director: Brian Snook Production Manager: Karen Kalinyak SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Phone: (845) 856-2229 Fax: (847) 763-9569 customerservice@epgmediallc.com REPRINTS Robin Cooper rcooper@epgmediallc.com GROUP PUBLISHER David Voll dvoll@epgmediallc.com DIRECT MAIL LIST SALES MeritDirect, Jim Scova Phone: (914) 368-1012 jscova@MeritDirect.com Publisher's Notice: We Assume No Responsibility For The Validity Of Claims In Connection With Items Appearing In Sportsturf. Reader Service Numbers Are Given To Facilitate Further Inquiry. Mention Of A Commercial Product Does Not Imply Endorsement By Sportsturf Or EPG Media & Specialty Information, Or Preference Over Similar Products Not Mentioned. CALLING ALL PARENTS: ARE YOUR KIDS' FIELDS SAFE?