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
www.stma.org December 2016 | SportsTurf 25 SportsTurf: How has your career benefitted from being a member of STMA? Jonas: It has helped me to be more professional. Attend- ing a national conference is incredible because you get to see and tour the venues that otherwise you would not have access to. Also, the networking and education opportunities are great. SportsTurf: How has your career benefitted from being a CSFM? Jonas: It shows to your employer that you are serious about what you do, which leads him or her to trusting you to make good decisions, for example on fi eld usage or equip- ment that is needed. The agency has goals we want to reach. SportsTurf: What are your passions and interests outside of work? Jonas: I love woodworking and photography. My wife and I love to travel and try different types of food. " It's difficult to find people that have an interest in this type of work, so much of this work is not glamorous." SPORTS TURF PROFESSIONALS: Editor's note: Once again this year we asked, for fun, a stock- ing full of sports turf managers what they would like for Christmas that they might use in their work. Here are their anonymous responses: Always want new equipment: new tractor, new pickup truck for me. A few more grounds crew, losing even one crewmem- ber a pain. Linked irrigation con- trollers so I don't have to drive across town to shut them off or turn them on. A dome over the stadium. Time. No fi rework shows. For Christmas, I would like world peace! And an irrigation booster pump… Above all, my top Christmas request would be full-time STAFFING! There have been so many new facilities built in the past 5 years that we oversee and of course, with that, higher expectations, but no additional staff. It's the usual "you do so well with the staff that you have, why do you need more?" response. We have a good amount of turf science students working for us through the spring and fall semesters but that only takes you so far due to them being in classes at random times throughout the day/week. Increasing the full-time staff size would not only help meet expectations but would help elevate burnout from an increase in outside activities at these new facilities (i.e. external rentals, camps, etc.). What I would love would be a new commercial grade turf core sweeper. I would enjoy going to a bowl game for Christmas and if we're talking crazy, a new workshop would be nice. Would love predictable weather, whether it's good or bad. It would be nice to have an early spring. We have battled snow and rain in our spring sports here in VA for the past few years.