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Here - Colorado Sports Turf Managers Association
FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Message . . . . . . . 2 CSTMA Photo Quiz . . . . . . . . 3 Lawnmower Man Open . . . . 4 CSTMA Summer Seminar . . 6 Critical Things Great Leaders Do Differently. . . . . 8 Member Profile Brian Rathbun . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Field Shifting — Spread the Wear . . . . . . . . . 13 Preparing a Field For Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 STMA Environmental Facility Certification Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Member Profile Darrold Hughes . . . . . . . . . . 21 1 CSTMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Dave Radueg Columbine Equestrian Center 6900 S. Platte Canyon Road Littleton, CO 80128 Phone: 303-859-3245 Email: Daveradueg@gmail.com The Rocky Mountain Half-Time is published quarterly by the Colorado Sports Turf Managers Association www.CSTMA.org 191 University Blvd., #703 Denver, CO 80206 Fax: 720-536-8021 Editor - Cody Witham E-mail: cwitham@dsgpark.com Debra Erwin City Of Rock Springs 1301 Clubhouse Dr Rock Springs, Wy 82901 Phone: 307-352-1411 Fax: 307-352-1516 Email: Deb_erwin@rswy.net Past President Drew Barber Town of Erie PO Box 750 Erie, Co 80516 Phone: 303-926-2890 Email: Dbarber@erieco.gov Ryan Jensen City and County of Broomfield 3001 W. 124th Avenue Broomfield, CO 80020 Phone: 303-464-5687 Email: rjensen@broomfield.org Vice President Cody Witham Dicks Sporting Goods Park 6000 Victory Way Commerce City, CO 80022 Phone: 720-363-9577 Email: cwitham@dsgpark.com Commercial Officer Amy Graff Greenone Industries 2667 Bitterroot Place Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 Phone: 303-518-8999 Email: agraff@greenoneindustries.com Commercial Office Elect Ben Boehme Golf Enviro Systems PO Box 49039 Colorado Springs, CO 80949 Phone: 419-773-9619 Email: benb@golfenviro.com FALL 2015 DIRECTORS Sun Roesslein North Area Athletic Complex 19500 W 64th Pkwy Golden, CO 80403 Phone: 303-215-3428 Fax: 303-215-3429 Email: sroessle@jeffco.k12.co.us Paul Selchert S. Suburban Parks & Rec 5500 Boatworks Drive Littleton, Co 80126 Phone: 303-795-9856 Fax: 303-347-6963 Email: pauls@ssprd.org Steve Shoultz Douglas County Parks and Trails 9651 S. Quebec Street Littleton, CO 80130 Phone: 720-933-0452 Email: sshoultz@douglas.co.us Executive Director Drew Barber Town Of Erie Po Box 750 Erie, Co 80516 Phone: 303-926-2890 E-Mail: Dbarber@Erieco.gov COLORADO SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION 2 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 President’s Message Dave Radueg, Columbine Equestrian Center President CSTMA Chapter I CSTMA has had a fantastic summer! Our last two events were a great success and I can’t thank the board of directors enough for such a wonderful job in planning and executing the Lawn Mower Open and the Summer Seminar and Field day. Green valley Ranch Golf Club had the course in fantastic condition for our Lawn Mower Open annual golf tournament as they prepared for the Colorado Open Championship taking place the following week. The LMO is historically our best attended and most anticipated event and this year was no exception. The LMO committee continues to improve the golf tournament and I am excited to see the growing success year after year. Our membership has been asking for a field day/demo day event for a more hands on educational experience and this August we added a summer seminar to our event schedule. The City of Broomfield hosted the event at Industrial Park. I would like to thank Ryan Jenson for hosting the seminar, the venue was ideal for this type of event. There were five separate demonstrations at the park’s different baseball fields. The CSTMA sponsors that attended came with some very impressive and informative demos. If this event continues to be as good in the future as it was this year then CSTMA members will be able to take advantage of this educational format that allows us to see the processes up close in a way that a class room environment cannot provide. efforts to continue providing safer playing conditions and higher quality sports fields in Colorado. Finally, I would like to offer a special word of gratitude to the CSTMA Executive Director, Christi Clay. Christi has been the backbone of this organization for years and she has carried the weight of many details that may have been missed or forgotten without her contribution to the organization. Through multiple cycles of the Board of Directors, the time and effort that Christi has dedicated to our chapter has been an integral part of our growth and success since she began. Christi is resigning as Executive Director and passing the responsibilities to As always, if you have any Past President Drew Barber. I questions, suggestions or encourage everyone to thank comments we encourage you Christi for all of her work to to contact any board member. let her know that her efforts We want to hear your ideas so are greatly appreciated. that we can apply them to our Thank you Christi! FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME 3 CSTMA PHOTO QUIZ Can you identify this sports turf problem? Problem: Small line of burnt and discolored grass. Turfgrass area: Stadium Field Location: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City Grass Variety: Kentucky Bluegrass SEE ANSWER ON PAGE 19. If you would like to submit a photograph for the Photo Quiz please send it to CSTMA, 91 University Blvd. #703, Denver, CO 80206 • call 720-935-3840 or email christi.clay@comcast.net. If your photograph is selected, you will receive full credit. All photos submitted will become property of Colorado Sports Turf Managers Association. Bringing 38 years of sports turf management to the seed industry Gary Russell Turf Seed Sales 720-480-7767 gjrussell07@gmail.com Don Hijar Owner 800-782-5947 info@pawneebuttesseed.com w w w . p aw n e e b u t t e ss e e d . co m 4 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 p pen lawn mower On July 14, 2015, The Colorado Sports Turf Managers Association (CSTMA) held our 21st Annual Lawn Mower Open Golf Tournament at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. For the past several years we have worked to build this very special day into an annual summit that brings all of our members together to raise money for the CSTMA Scholarship Programs. This year’s event was our most successful and well attended golf tournament to date, and we would like to sincerely thank and acknowledge our sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and attendees; without all of you accomplishing our mission simply would not be possible. A very special thank you to this year’s vendor sponsors: V3010 RC R COLO STMA 2015_T1025-A Feb&Nov BB/EG Sprttrf04 2015-01-12 5:23 PM Page 1 FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME 5 Avoid Costly Rainouts... COVERMASTER™ RAINCOVERS The COVERMASTER Advantage... ® • Lighter weight, superior strength, easier to handle • Shield Tek™ coating technology for greater durability • Outstanding heat reflective properties • Raincover graphics available • Largest choice of weights and colors TARP MACHINE VIDEO! TARPMACHINE™ makes light of handling your raincover. WACH THE ACTION ON LINE AT: covermaster.com/tarpmachine/ Covers for football and soccer fields are also readily available. ™ COVERMASTER AHEAD OF THE GAME DOES YOUR SPORTS TURF STAND OUT IN THE FIELD...IF NOT TARP MACHINE™ lets you roll the cover on and off in minutes. TARPMATE™ roller comes in 3 lengths with safety end caps. Call Toll Free: 1-800-387-5808 Int’l: +1-416-745-1811 • FAX: 416-742-6837 E-mail: info@covermaster.com www.covermaster.com © 2013 Covermaster Inc. covermaster.com/rcad/ Going Green and Scoring Points! CSTMA—2015 Ad 3 3/4 x 4 3/4 Call Ben Boehme today: 719-491-0591 GES Sports Turf Specialist GOLF ENVIRO SYSTEMS, INC. Gary Schinderle Owner/Key Account Manager 719-491-0590 Colorado Owned & Operated for 23 Years fertilizer, chemicals, seed...and so much more www.golfenviro.com 800-225-1311 Amy Graff 303-518-8999 amy@humalfa.com www.humalfa.com 6 CSTMA Summer Seminar O n August 12th the Colorado Sports Turf Managers hosted its annual Summer Seminar. The event was held at the Broomfield Industrial Sports Complex. Comprised of four baseball/softball fields, the complex served as a great location for members to interact and view demonstrations from vendors. Rotating through the four fields, guests were treated to equipment demos, pitching mound construction, infield grading, irrigation practices, sod selection, and many more tips and tools of the sports turf profession. The day was wrapped up with lunch off the grill and raffle prizes. The CSTMA Board of Directors would like to thank all those who attended as well as CSTMA Board Member Ryan Jensen and his staff from The City of Broomfield for their generous hospitality. THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME 7 8 Critical Things Great Leaders Do Differently G reat leadership can be a difficult thing to pin down and understand. You know a great leader when you’re working for one, but even they can have a hard time articulating what it is that makes their leadership so effective. It was recently rumored that Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz would run for president, but Schultz shut the idea down almost immediately. He wrote in an article: “Despite the encouragement of others, I have no intention of entering the presidential fray. I’m not done serving at Starbucks.” Schultz commitment to his company over the temptation of the limelight is interesting. What’s admirable is his desire to be a leader who serves. Service isn’t just something Schulz gives lip service to in the press; his mission is to create a company where people are treated with respect and dignity, and he backs this rhetoric up with his money and time. Starbucks will spend $250 million over the next 10 years to put benefit-eligible employees through college, and Schultz wakes up every day at 4:00 a.m. to send motivational e-mails to his employees (the email he wrote yesterday asking employees to show empathy for customers who have been affected by the plummeting stock market is an interesting, recent example of this). It’s through a leader’s actions—what he or she does and says on a daily basis—that the essence of great leadership becomes apparent. “Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise.” -Howard Schultz Behavior can change, and leaders who work to improve their skills get results. In Schultz’s case, he’s been honing his leadership craft for three decades through, among other things, the direct coaching and mentoring of leadership expert Warren Bennis at USC. Not everyone can take on Warren Bennis as a mentor, of course, but when it comes down to it, improving your leadership skills is within your control. You just need to study what great leaders do and to incorporate these behaviors into your repertoire. There are six critical things that great leaders do that really stand out. Any of us can do the same. 1 They’re kind without being weak One of the toughest things for leaders to master is kindness. Kindness shares credit and offers enthusiastic praise for others’ work. It’s a balancing act, between being genuinely kind and not looking weak. The key to finding that balance is to recognize that true kindness is inherently strong—it’s direct and straightfor- THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 Dr. Travis Bradberry ward. Telling people the difficult truth they need to hear is much kinder than protecting them (or yourself) from a difficult conversation. This is weak. True kindness also doesn’t come with expectations. Kindness is weak when you use it in a self-serving manner. Self-serving kindness is thin—people can see right through it when a kind leader has an agenda. Think of Schultz, who dedicated $250 million to employee education with no strings attached, and as soon as employees finish their degree, they are free to walk out the door. That’s true kindness. 2 They’re strong without being harsh Strength is an important quality in a leader. People will wait to see if a leader is strong before they decide to follow his or her lead or not. People need courage in their leaders. They need someone who can make difficult decisions and watch over the good of the group. They need a leader who will stay the course when things get tough. People are far more likely to show strength themselves when their leader does the same. A lot of leaders mistake domineering, controlling, and otherwise harsh behavior for strength. They think that taking control and pushing people around will somehow inspire a loyal following. Strength isn’t something you can force on people; it’s something you earn by demonstrating it time and again in the face of adversity. Only then will FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME people trust that they should follow you. 3 They’re confident, without being cocky We gravitate to confident leaders because confidence is contagious, and it helps us to believe that there are great things in store. The trick, as a leader, is to make certain your confidence doesn’t slip into arrogance and cockiness. Confidence is about passion and belief in your ability to make things happen, but when your confidence loses touch with reality, you begin to think you can do things you can’t and have done things you haven’t. Suddenly it’s all about you. This arrogance makes you lose credibility. Great, confident leaders are still humble. They don’t allow their accomplishments and position of authority to make them feel that they’re better than anyone else. As such, they don’t hesitate to jump in and do the dirty work when needed, and they don’t ask their followers to do anything they aren’t willing to do themselves. 9 4 They stay positive, but remain realistic Another major challenge that leaders face is finding the balance between keeping things positive and still being realistic. Think of a sailboat with three people aboard: a pessimist, an optimist, and a great leader. Everything is going smoothly until the wind suddenly sours. The pessimist throws his hands up and complains about the wind; the optimist sits back, saying that things will improve; but the great leaders says, “We can do this!” and he adjusts the sails and keeps the ship moving forward. The right combination of positivity and realism is what keeps things moving forward. 5 They’re role models, not preachers Great leaders inspire trust and admiration through their actions, not just their words. Many leaders say that integrity is important to them, but great leaders walk their talk by demonstrating integrity every day. Harping on people all day long about the behavior you want to see has a tiny fraction of the impact you achieve by demonstrating that behavior yourself. 6 They’re willing to take a bullet for their people The best leaders will do anything for their teams, and they have their people’s backs no matter what. They don’t try to shift blame, and they don’t avoid shame when they fail. They’re never afraid to say, “The buck stops here,” and they earn people’s trust by backing them up. Great leaders also make it clear that they welcome challenges, criticism, and viewpoints other than their own. They know that an environment where people are afraid to speak up, offer insights, and ask good questions is destined for failure. Bringing It All Together Great leadership is dynamic; it melds a variety of unique skills into an integrated whole. Incorporate the behaviors above into your repertoire, and you’ll see immediate improvement in your leadership skills. 2016 STMA Conference and Exhibition San Diego, CA January 19-22, 2016 WIN A TRIP TO SAN DIEGO TO ATTEND THE STMA NATIONAL CONFERENCE Two ways to win: 1. Attend a CSTMA event and automatically be entered to win. The more events you attend the greater your chances in winning. 2. Submit a bio of yourself and why you wish to attend the conference. Please submit to the Colorado Sports Turf Managers Association Executive Director by October 31, 2015. Winner(s) will receive conference registration as well as travel and lodging accommodations. Total number of winners is based on the CSTMA Scholarship Program availability. This opportunity is made possible by the CSTMA Vendor Sponsors. 10 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 A Grassroots Perspective. Amy Graff 303-518-8999 agraff@greenoneindustries.com LeRoy Butler 303-598-6109 leroy@greenoneindustries.com Deep Tine Aeration Topdressing Players may only see what’s on the surface but we know it’s long hours, dedication to excellence, and attention to detail that makes your turf stand out. Simplot Partners works with you by providing the right mix of quality turf products and consulting services that keep your turf looking great and your players happy. Contact your local Simplot Partners representative for more information. Soil Compaction Relief Field Renovation/ Construction www.greenoneindustries.com Don't Miss Out Infield Mixes Warning Tracks Infield Conditioners Mound Clay Complete Field Renovations Jason Aerni Denton Kurtz Gary Tewmey Warehouse (970) 231-5632 (970) 230-0450 (303) 710-2831 (866) 437-5727 HD 4195 Oneida Street, Unit H Denver, Colorado 80216 simplotparners.com Sports 2.0 VITALITY Topdressing Materials Sod Varieties sodgolfsports.gvt.net HD Sports 2.0 is the new standard in high density performance sports turf sod. Extremely wear and traffic Top quality materials for your infield. tolerant, HD Sports recovers rapidly from cleated play. Call or click for more information. Exclusive Stabilizer Disributor Hilltopper Stabilizer StaLok Bruce Scott 303 726-6148 bruce@gvt.net Joe Wilkins III 303 359-5793 joe3@gvt.net R R golfandsportsolutions.com R R Jack Weil 303-961-0141 Eric Pollock 303-961-0092 Office 970-284-6030 13159 N. US Highway 85, Littleton, Colorado 80125 • (303) 798-6764 • www.gvt.net FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME 11 QA MEMBER PROFILE & Brian Rathbun Parks Lead Worker Douglas County Parks, Trails and Building Grounds Where are you from and how did you end up where you are today? I’m a Colorado native and I have always enjoyed sports and the outdoors. I began my career as a seasonal in parks and now have over 9 years of experience in open space, trail and turf management. For the last 2 years I’ve been with Douglas County Parks, Trails and Building Grounds in District 4. What attracted you to the Sports Turf Profession? Growing up playing and watching sports made me have an appreciation for safe, playable, beautiful fields. As a sports turf manager I take pride in being a part of caring for fields and outdoor amenities for people to enjoy. What types of fields to you care for? In District 4 we have 1 full synthetic baseball field, 1 synthetic multiuse field and a large blue / ryegrass dog park. In addition we manage 2 regional parks and 6 county facilities. What do you enjoy the most about the Sports Turf Industry? I enjoy seeing the work you put in make a difference. It is fulfilling to identify an issue, rectify the problem and see an improvement in the end. What do you enjoy the least about the Sports Turf Industry? With all of the hard work and dedication put into the maintenance of the turf it can be frustrating how fast conditions change such as weather, disease, etc. Time can also become an issue when wearing many hats in this profession. What is something you’ve learned working in Sports Turf that you would like to share with others? I’ve learned it takes the entire team working together and doing their part to be successful. There are many moving parts in this profession and communication and teamwork are key. I am lucky to work with so many great people! 12 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 Will your field be ready when August rolls around? MostTrustedTravelingIrrigationSystems MostTrustedTravelingIrrigationSystems Since1964 Since1964 800.372.6639 or 303.789.3172 • • • • • • Portabilitytoirrigatemultiplefields Portabilitytoirrigatemultiplefields withasinglemachine withasinglemachine Softensfield&reducesplayerinjury Softensfield&reducesplayerinjury Moreaffordablethanin-ground Moreaffordablethanin-ground systems systems Your Local Kifco Dealer Englewood, CO. licensed*bonded* insured www.academysportsturf.com (303) 241-0258 • kimseyd@cpsdistributors.com FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME 13 Field Shifting - Spread The Wear O ne of the biggest challenges Sports Turf Managers face is managing field wear. Things looked great in the spring, but as the summer goes along, conditions begin to erode. Aside from eliminating all field use, additional measures just won’t keep up with the wear and tear. Seeding takes too long, resodding is too expensive or time consuming, and reducing play is just not an option. How about moving the field, or as some refer to as ‘shifting’ the field. Move it to the east, move it to the north, or how about changing the orientation of the field from north south to east west. Whatever you choose, a shift will often allow the high wear areas to get that added rest they need for recovery. Because of specific constraints, Cody Witham field shifting may not be an option. Fixed goal anchors can prevent a field shift, as well as nearby hazards such as bleachers, fences, irrigation boxes, or light poles. Or the field area as a whole may not be large enough to shift. Artificial surfaces with permanent sewn in markings do not have the option to shift. So, shifting is obviously not a solution for everyone. However, if you’ve got the space, consider moving your field, particularly if you are dealing with a sport that creates obvious wear areas. Soccer, lacrosse, and football come to mind. Here at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, we’ve seen positive results when soccer fields are shifted about 10’ east or west. Goals mouths and referee runways can get the rest they need. The past few years, we’ve hosted back to back to back weekends of youth lacrosse in the spring. Each week we move the field over 9’. By shifting the fields each week, and with a little over seeding prior to the event, the high wear areas will recover. We always try to over seed prior to a shift. Do it a few days before to the shift, allow the players to cleat it in, and the recovery process begins. Should the wear areas recover well enough, the field can then be moved back to its original location. Field shifting can be quite time consuming when all the markings and points on the field must be measured and re-set, but it is often worth the extra effort. Shift 1: This soccer field was shifted west 25’ to create new wear areas and allow the goal mouths to recover. Shift 3: This High School field is reduced in size and shifted east to reduce wear on the MLS field. The use of portable goals allows for the shift. Team bench areas are also moved to the opposite side of the field to help reduce warm-up traffic and sideline wear. Shift 2: The lacrosse field is shifted to the left of this soccer field to prevent added wear in the center of the field. Shift 4: This lacrosse field is set on the east side of this soccer field to prevent added wear in the center of the field. 14 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 Sports Field Management Practices – Preparing a Field for Winter P roperly preparing your field for winter will give your turf the best chance to be ready for play in the spring. Developing and implementing a plan to combat extreme winter weather conditions will not only help your turf survive, but will also jumpstart spring growth and result in overall healthier turf throughout the year. By beginning your winter preparation at the end of the summer and continuing it throughout the fall, you will be on your way tomanaging an even better field next year. Whether you are managing cool or warm season grasses, the success of your field is largely dependent on how your field overwinters. Here are some tips that will help you put your field to bed for the winter and successfully wake up in the spring. ration on hand before they are needed. Cool-Season Grasses The following are recommendations for preparing Kentucky bluegrass and/or perennial ryegrass sports fields for winter. Fertilization Cool season grasses get a flush of growth in the fall. It is important to fertilize these grasses during this time to maintain healthy growth and enhance recovery from wear. With proper fertilization, your field has the best chance to go into the winter with a high amount of turf cover. • Develop your fertilization program based on soil test results. • Apply 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1000 ft2 at the beginning of the football/soccer season (early Prepared for STMA by Thomas Serensits, Penn State University September), at midseason (mid October), and after the first hard frost. You can wait until after the season to combine the final fertilizer application with post-season hollow-tine aerification and seeding. • Do not apply excessive amounts of nitrogen within a few weeks before the first expected frost. Too much nitrogen at this time results in extreme plant succulence, which can lead to cold injury. Overseeding High wear areas on football and soccer fields lose turf cover and require overseeding during the season to reduce areas of bare soil (Figure 1). • Begin overseeding following the first game with perennial ryegrass and continue seeding throughout the season. Over Have a Plan • Plan out your maintenance practices around the schedule of field use before the fall season begins. Look for extended periods of little or no play and perform your most disruptive cultural practices, such as aerification, during this time. If your field is used on a daily basis, be prepared to aerify as soon as the season is over. • Be ready to adapt your plan if needed. Weather conditions, changes in schedules, and makeup games can alter your plan – always have a back-up plan. • Be sure to have all equipment, seed, and fertilizers you anticipate using for winter prepa- Figure 1. Constantly seeding high wear areas like this during the season will not only help during the season, but it also gives you a jumpstart in the spring FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME time you will build a “seed bank” that will help maintain cover during the fall and into the winter. Also, some of the seed that does not germinate in the fall will germinate in the spring. • Focus your overseeding on the high wear areas, i.e. between the hashmarks on football fields and at the goal mouths on soccer fields. If you can maintain turf in these areas you will have fewer weeds in the spring. • Fill divots throughout the season with divot mix that contains sand/soil, organic fertilizer, and perennial ryegrass seed. This will help ensure a divot-free field in spring. Other Cultural Practices If you have a baseball field that is only used in the spring and summer, fall is the perfect time to improve soil conditions heading into the winter. On fall-used fields, you can wait until after the season to perform cultivation practices. • Aerify, spike, or slice during the fall to relieve compaction, increase infiltration, and increase oxygen flow into the rootzone. Core aerification causes significant surface disruption so it is often best to wait until after the football/soccer season. • If you core aerify a native soil field, drag dry cores back into the field. On sand-based fields, remove the cores and topdress with a sand that properly matches the particle sizes of the rootzone. • Solid-tine aerification, spiking, and slicing each produce less surface disruption than core aerification and are often better in-season cultivation options (Figure 2). • Combine overseeding with aeri- 15 fication, spiking, slicing, or any other similar cultural practice. After the Season Depending on your location, your turf may be able to begin to recover from damage after the season if it is still actively growFigure 2. Using solid tines like these to aerify can help increase ing. If turf growth water infiltration and oxygen levels in the rootzone with little has stopped, you surface disruption can still take steps formation on using compost on to ensure your field survives the turfgrass can be found at http:// winter. turfgrassmanagement.psu.edu/ • Lower your mowing height to proturf.cfm. Sand-based field reduce your chances for snow should be topdressed with sand mold outbreaks and damage. that closely matches the particle • Even if your turf is dormant, aesize distribution of the rootzone. rify with hollow-tines and seed • Seed large, worn out areas like so you do not have to worry the center of your football field. about it in the spring when your • Sod smaller worn out areas. field may be waterlogged from Even if the sod is dormant, you spring rains. can install it in places like soccer • Applying topdressing in congoal mouths (Figure 3). As soon junction with aerification will as the weather warms up, it will also improve conditions in the start rooting. spring. • Apply a fungicide to protect • On native soil fields, consider against pink and gray snow topdressing with compost. In Figure 3. Sodding goal mouth areas at the end of the season is often a better option than waiting for seed to germinate in the spring. The sod will begin rooting as soon as the weather turns warm. cont’d on page 22 16 WINTER 2014 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 5 Going Green and newstripe is field painting Scoring Points! NewriderTM 5000 airless ride-oN field sTriper •Builttohandlethedemandsofmedium tolargesizeathleticfieldcomplexes. •Rearwheelsteeringfortighterturning radiusandincreasedmaneuverability. •Theconvenientfootoperatedcontrolsof theNewRiderTM 5000providemaximum commandoftheairlessspraysystem fromthecomfortofthedriver’sseat. •Theinnovativelowerdeckheightdesign optimizestheoperatorslineofsightfor straighterandmoreaccuratelines. •FieldPainting&StripingMachines •BaseballFieldDrags&InfieldGroomers •BaseballFieldChalkers 4600TM sp self-propelled airless walk behiNd •Thevariablespeedfrictiondrivesystem allowsforincreasedoperatorcontrol makingstripingeffortless. •The4600™ SP comesequippedwitha non-pulsatinghydraulicairlesspumpto provideevenandconsistentlines. •Thefourwheeldesignprovidesstraighter linesandtheruggedconstructiontackles thetoughestoffields. •ProudlyMade in the USA,thisaffordable self-propelledstriperismadewithquality componentsandisbuilttolast. ecoliNerTM plus baTTery powered field sTriper •Equippedwitharapidcharge120volt pluginbatterycharger. •Onboardcleanwaterreservoirallows forinstantaneouspurgingofthespraying system. •Detachablespraygunwith10’hose providesforeffortlesspaintingofstencils andcornerkicks. •Ruggedanddurabletiresthatmeetthe rigorousdemandsofsurfacesandturf. •AthleticFieldLayoutSystems Amy Graff 303-518-8999 amy@humalfa.com •FootballField&MascotStencils AurorA, co | 1-800-624-6706 | www.newstripe.com www.humalfa.com •AthleticFieldStripingPaint FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME 17 YOUR HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE The #1 Conditioner for Safe & Playable Fields Find a distributor and field maintenance videos at www.Turface.com or call 800-207-6457. 18 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 oposed HGT logo ® Meet us halfway and we’ll do the rest. TM healthy grass T E C H N O LO G Y supercharged bentgrass go with yellow background With Yellow Jacket ® Enhanced Seed Coating healthy grass T E C H N O LO G Y 970-284-6000 bigfootturf.com go in black and white FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME 19 STMA Environmental Facility Certification Program The Environmental Facility Certification program was designed to promote environmental stewardship and awareness for STMA members by documenting the impacts of their management practices on the environment. The program has four components: 1. Self Assessment tool - Gathers information on 10 different Best Practice areas. These areas include storm water management, fertilization, pesticide/integrated pest management, recycling, composting, mowing, energy conservation, shop buildings and storage areas, irrigation, and educational outreach. 2. Attesting - One very important component of this certification process is to have another person validate your responses by doing a walk-through of your facility with you. STMA will provide the attester form and instructions. 3. Certification - For a facility to achieve certification, it must achieve a score of “complying”; the Environmental Committee is still working on determining what that “score” is. Once achieved, the facility will be certified for a certain number of years, and certification stays with the facility even if the sports field manager changes. 4. Renewal Process -- STMA Environmental Committee is still formulating this process. STMA is piloting this program on a broad scale this year. If you are interested in participating in the pilot, please contact Kim Heck, kheck@stma.org. The information submitted by pilot testers will be considered an official application for environmental certification. If your facility qualifies by meeting the yet-to-be-determined percent of Complying and the attesting component noted above, environmental certification will be awarded from your pilot process when this program is officially rolled out in 2016. ANSWER TO CSTMA PHOTO QUIZ - PAGE 3 The discolored grass is the result of a camera cable. The TV crew installed an in ground camera within the soccer goal for the MLS All Star game. While the cables laying on the grass behind the goal are common, and rarely harm the grass, this particular crew used heavy black tape to secure the cable to the field. Additionally, because of the nature of the event, the camera was placed the day before the game and the cables sat on the field for an extended period of time. The discoloration remained for about 10 days and has since grown out. Photos submitted by Dan Mathews, Turf Coordinator Dick’s Sporting Goods Park If you have any interesting photos and would like to submit them for the next newsletter, please contact us at admin@cstma.org. 20 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 Material Placement •Topdressing •Landscape Rock •Mulch & EWF www.groundsolutions.com • www.bedrockslingers.com Mike Neal - VP of Sales cell 970.430.8407 • office 970.776.8150 ext 4 miken@bedrockslingers.com LEGENDARY ON EVERY TERRAIN Get Growing! Jeff Elliott 720-346-2297 Daryl Dinkel 970-672-6240 Jacobsen TR-3™ with 7 blade reel and grooved front rollers The Jacobsen TR-3TM is a world-class cutting and climbing reel trim mower. It hugs contours with ease and provides Jacobsen’s legendary quality-of-cut on even the steepest of hills. The full-time, all-wheel drive traction, weight transfer control and reliable braking allow operators to mow with confidence and tackle tough terrain. Designed for tee boxes, approaches and surrounds where high-level power and quality is needed. 5080 Paris Street Denver, CO 80239 303-375-4913 www.bettermowers.com 1.888.922.TURF | www.jacobsen.com FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME 21 CSTMA ANNUAL QA MEMBER PROFILE & Darrold Hughes Athletic Field Specialist Colorado College Where are you from and how did you end up where you are today? I am originally from southern California. In the mid 1970’s the army brought me to Colorado and I have been here ever since. What attracted you to the Sports Turf Profession? I was attracted to the sports turf profession after 20 years as a grounds keeper here at Colorado College. Always having to help out the field guy I learned a lot about sports turf and found I enjoyed the challenges that come with keeping a natural grass field going through a season with all the abuse that comes with a multiple use field. What types of fields to you care for? I take care of one synthetic multi use field that is used for every sport you can think of as well as the running track around it and six tennis courts. One grass field that is for soccer and lacrosse, but is also open to the college community for lots of sports and non-sports related activities. What do you enjoy the most about the Sports Turf Industry? I get the most enjoyment out of interacting with student athletes. They are so full of positive energy and are always appreciative of the effort it takes to keep them playing on a safe and beautiful field. What do you enjoy the least about the Sports Turf Industry? What I like least about the sports turf profession is having to clean up behind contractors. Being a small venue we don’t have the equipment to do everything we would like to in house. Most contractors don’t care about how they leave a sight looking they do their part then leave the clean-up and detail work for the maintenance people like myself. What is something you’ve learned working in Sports Turf that you would like to share with others? If I have learned anything in this industry that is worth passing on it would be that no one person can do it all, you have to develop and maintain relationships with other turf managers, sales people, mechanics, and a whole host of others. If you’re going to do this job right it takes 100% of your skills and the help and advice of others. 22 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 Preparing a Field for Winter — cont’d from page 15 Figure 4. Using growth covers on the middle of the field can help your turf recover from football damage after the season. mold. Check with your local university for recommendations on which fungicides to use. • Use growth covers. Growth covers create a greenhouse-like effect that allows seed to germinate and turf to grow during the winter (Figure 4). Consider using growth covers in your high wear areas after you have seeded them. Be sure to apply a snow mold fungicide and remember you’ll probably have to take the covers off periodically so you can mow. • Preemergent herbicides can be applied in late fall for spring weeds BUT it is important to not overseed if you apply a preemergent herbicide because the herbicide will prevent your seed from germinating. If you need to overseed, you can kill weeds in the spring with postemergent herbicides. Baseball and Softball Fields Many of the tips described above can also be used on baseball and softball fields. Here are some additional tips: • Core aerify in the fall. If your field is not getting used in the fall, the surface disruption will not matter. • Prepare the pitcher’s mound and home plate area prior to winter, then cover each with a tarp so they are ready to go in the spring. • Use silt fence or 2 x 4 boards around the edge of your infield skin to prevent wind-blown infield dirt from forming a lip between the skinned area and the turf. Bermudagrass Bermudagrass is grown on many sports fields in the south where winters are less harsh. The following are recommendations for bermudagrass fields. Fertilization Bermudagrass begins to go dormant when day lengths get shorter and air temperatures drop below 50 F. You should apply the majority of your fertilizer in the summer when the bermudagrass is actively growing. • Develop your fertilization program based on soil test results. It is especially important to have optimum levels of potassium prior to winter dormancy. • Reduce, but do not eliminate nitrogen applications in the fall. Excessive amounts of nitrogen can lead to leaching because plant growth and nitrogen uptake is slowed in the cooler fall weather. • On areas prone to spring dead spot, reduce nitrogen rates in the fall. • Make final nitrogen application 30 days prior to the first expected frost. Applications after this time may increase your chances for winterkill. • Consider foliar-applied iron to help maintain green color without a flush of growth late in the season. Overseeding Because bermudagrass goes dormant after frost, cool season grasses are often overseeded on bermudagrass fields to provide green color during the late fall and winter months. • Select your overseeding grass – either annual, perennial, or intermediate ryegrass. • Begin overseeding in early to mid fall to be sure the overseeded grass germinates and begins to grow before the bermudagrass goes dormant. • Verticutting and/or slit seeding is often not required for overseeding. Try not to damage the bermudagrass – even though it is going dormant, it still provides a good playing surface. Plus, you will reduce your chances for winterkill. • Consider painting the field with green paint instead of overseeding. This saves you a lot of money and labor time plus you do not need to worry about killing the overseeded grass in the spring. FALL 2015 • THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME Remember, your bermudagrass needs at least 100 days of competition-free growth to establish a strong stand so the overseeded ryegrass must be removed with a herbicide application the following spring. Other Cultural Practices All aerification, verticutting, topdressing, etc. on bermudagrass should be done in the summer when the bermudagrass is actively growing. If you wait until fall, you are setting yourself up for a high chance of widespread winterkill. • If spring dead spot is a problem, apply a fungicide in the fall when soil temperatures are still above 60 F. Check with your local university for fungicide recommendations. • Cover the field with a tarp on nights that frost is expected. This will help maintain green color and minimize initial frost injury (Figure 5). After the season Odds are that by the end of the season your bermudagrass will be nearly or completely dormant. At this time, there are still a few things you can do to help get ready for spring. • If you overseeded and your field is not going to be used in the spring, use a non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate to remove the overseeded grass. BE SURE the bermudagrass is completely dormant before applying. • For non-overseeded fields, glyphosate can be used to control winter weeds (Figure 6). Again, BE SURE the bermudagrass is completely dormant before applying. • Consider using a growth blanket or tarp to minimize winterkill. • To protect bermudagrass from 23 cold temperatures, 4 to 6 inches of clean straw can be spread over the field to insulate the turf. This requires about 300 to 400 bales of straw per field. Use netting to be sure the straw does not blow away and make sure the bermudagrass is dormant. Baseball and Softball Fields Many of the tips described above can also be used on baseball and softball fields. Also, refer to the baseball and softball fields section under cool season grasses for additional tips for your infield. Figure 5. Early frost damage like this can be prevented by covering the field with a tarp prior to expected frost. Figure 6. Non-selective herbicides like glyphosate can be used to control winter weeds in bermudagrass as long as the bermudagrass is completely dormant at the time of application. 24 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HALFTIME • FALL 2015 Spring is the time for EWING! Get all of your sports field products at your local Ewing branch. Stop by, call or email us and ask how we can help you get more from your infields, end zones and everything in between. ™ Soil Nourishing Root Stimulating SM Centennial 15579 E. Hinsdale Cir. 720.870.9530 Colorado Springs 2705 Capital Dr. 719.591.9530 Grand Junction 2331 Interstate Ave. 970.248.9530 Commerce City 4895 Olive St. 303.288.2088 Fort Collins 900-A Smithfield Dr. 970.416.8388 Highlands Ranch 9105 Commerce Center Circle 303.470.3928 TALK TO US: Todd Morris, Turf Products Specialist 720.272.8252 FIELD CONDITIONERS & MOUND CLAY | MOISTURE MANAGEMENT HOSES & REELS | FERTILIZER & FERTIGATION | FIELD PAINT | SOIL AMENDMENTS | TOOLS The Social Media Connection Advanced Amino Acid Nutrition Products That Perform Macro-Sorb Technologies is committed to your success in turf management. We offer the highest quality amino acid-based products in the industry. Visit our website for more information on the technology behind Macro-Sorb and to view details on our full line of products. Distributed by: Golf Enviro Systems 800-225-1311 macrosorb.com W e want to provide more avenues for our members to stay connected. CSTMA members can use social media for networking, sharing experiences with our peers and opening discussions about sports turf management. Please join us in our goal to keep all of our members as connected and informed as possible. Like us on Facebook! Go to www.facebook.com/CSTMA and “like” our page to begin seeing our posts on your Facebook newsfeed. We will be posting information about upcoming events as well as photos from each event held. Feel free to post your own photos of your fields or your ongoing projects. We would love to see what you’re working on! Follow us on Twitter @ CSTMA_turf. On Twitter we can connect with turf industry professionals locally, nationally and internationally! Follow us to see our tweets on your timeline. We will tweet information about upcoming events, photos and re-tweets of turf related topics. Join our LinkedIn discussion group “Colorado Sports Turf managers Association”. LinkedIn provides a great discussion forum to help you get information from other turf managers. Members of our social media groups will be entered to win prizes at our CSTMA events!
