SportsTurf

September 2016

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/714252

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 8 of 51

www.stma.org September 2016 | SportsTurf 9 September to those who filled out the survey. The full report contains many more tables and cross-tabbed salary information. You can find out the average salary of a certified sports field manager, how education levels impact salary, salaries by region of the country, salary by the number of years of experience and by number the of acres managed. BENEFITS ARE HEALTHY In addition to salary data, there is a wealth of information about the benefits sports turf managers receive. Benefits are strong and steady. Bonuses for members are up. In 2012, 22% of members received a bonus. Today, 28% are awarded one, and the top reason for that award is job performance. Thirty-four percent of those receiving a bonus are awarded $5,000 or more. Retirement benefits remain unchanged from 2012; 93% receive a retirement or pension plan. Fewer employers are paying for all of single health insurance premiums (24% in 2016 compared to 29% in 2012). However, there is a shift to the employer paying partial costs of the single premium. Seventy-two percent report that their employer sixty-six percent of employers paid partial health insurance premiums in 2012. The vacation benefit is virtually unchanged — 98% of our members receive this benefit. One of the biggest changes is in the number of days. In 2012, 20% of our members received 16- 20 days annually; now 27% qualify for that number, most likely due to increased years of service. However, members are not using all of the vacation time that they have earned. Only 26% of our members who receive 21+ days annually actually take the full 21+ days. Sixty-seven percent of members can carry PHOTO COURTESY OF WEST COAST TURF. PHOTO BY ERIC SCHRODER. over unused vacation days to the next year. The one benefit that shows a significant increase is in employers paying for all costs for their sports turf manager to attend the annual STMA Conference and Exhibition. That percentage rose by 12%. Sixty-four percent of employers pay all of the expenses for their sports turf manager to attend. Correspondingly, the percentage of sports turf managers who have had to pay their own way to the conference has dropped by 10%. Now, 26% do not have any costs paid by their employer compared to 36% in 2012. The benefits section also includes information on the percentage that employers pay for other insurances for their sports turf manager: dental, vision, life, short term disability and long term disability. Sick leave, paid holidays, vehicle allowances, performance reviews and employment contracts data rounds out the benefits section. OPERATIONAL DATA Some operational and demographic data was collected. The report shows the number employees managed, both full time and seasonal, average number of hours worked by sports turf managers, and the months that they are employed. Facility acreage is reported, the sports played on the fields and a breakdown between synthetic and natural grass field types is detailed. Chapter information is also included. STMA has 33 affiliated chapters, and 19% of members do not belong to any chapter. The average age of a sports turf manager is 44 with the median age 42, down from 44 in 2012. For the first time STMA asked about race and repeated gender questions to help us know where we are today with diversity in the profession.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of SportsTurf - September 2016