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/753045
24 SportsTurf | December 2016 www.sportsturfonline.com THE INTERVIEW SportsTurf: What are the biggest obstacles to overcome for parks and rec professional turf manager to be successful today? And how are you doing that? Jonas: Hiring the right people and building a strong crew. Just as making good decisions on purchasing quality tools and equipment from manufacturers that provide good customer service is important. But that is easy. It's difficult to find people that have an interest in this type of work; so much of this work is not glamorous. Also being a good leader and communicator is something I constantly work on. I depend on my crew and take care of them. I make sure they have what they need so they can be successful at their jobs. SportsTurf: Are there specific challenges that turf managers at the Parks & Rec level face that differ from your peers from other STMA membership categories? Jonas: Turfgrass is just one of many different parts that I have to maintain [since I'm responsible for] the lights on the fields to the buildings and our fleet of vehicles. The turfgrass part of my job is one of many competing for my time. I consider working on the fields the most enjoyable part of my job and the most therapeutic. I can never get enough time to THE SPORTSTURF INTERVIEW: PATRICK JONAS, CSFM work with the turfgrass as I would like to. I also manage distractions like a waterline main breaking in our Fitness Center, or the AC in the gymnasium not working, those things become priorities. SportsTurf: How do you think the profession and industry will change in the next 10 years? Jonas: On the Parks and Rec level I don't really see it changing that much turfgrass wise. The same challenges will exist, hiring people that have a passion for the maintenance and turfgrass profession. Mowing, painting and dragging fields are not going to change that much in 10 years. But I do see more emphasis on multi-use fields, and LED lighting will be a big thing in the next 10 years. And of course water conservation will only get more intense. SportsTurf: How has social media impacted your work? Jonas: It gives me the ability to showcase daily what we do to people that otherwise would never know. Pinterest and Instagram are great for sharing ideas to a very specific audience and those are the two apps that I use the most. I'm not big into Facebook or Twitter, I tend to be more of a private person. Editor's note: This month in "The SportsTurf Interview," we feature STMA member Patrick Jonas, CSFM, a parks maintenance director for St. Andrew's Parks & Playgrounds in Charleston, SC.