BLOOMINGTON, MN—The Toro Company, Beacon Athletics and Diamond Pro will again join forces to present the Athletic Field Maintenance Forums. New for this series, the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) will grant 0.6 continuing education units (CEU) in Continuing Education Points.
“The Athletic Field Maintenance Forums have been very well received,” said Dale Getz, CSFM, CSE, and sports fields and grounds sales manager at The Toro Company. “The expert training and education helps participants learn how to achieve the results they desire and avoid costly mistakes.”
The comprehensive sessions combine hands-on and classroom instruction with proven techniques and skills to enhance field maintenance knowledge. The forums will cover:
Game Day Preparation
Aerification/Mowing
Irrigation
Infield Soils/Topdressing
Mound and Home Plate Management
Managing Infields
The STMA developed the Certified Sports Field Manager (CSFM) certification program to recognize the importance of fostering and improving professionalism within the sports turf industry. “The Sports Turf Managers Association is happy to recognize the Athletic Field Maintenance Forum as a quality program,” said Kim Heck, chief executive officer of STMA. “Upon completion, the attendees will be awarded Continuing Education Points that will count towards CSFM re-certification.”
Featured speakers include:
Tom Burns, sales/professional consultant for Diamond Pro, and former head groundskeeper for the Texas Rangers. Tom’s career in the athletic field industry began in 1978. He is a long-standing member of STMA and served on the Board of Directors from 1998 to 2000. He’s also a member of the Texas Turfgrass Association, where he served on the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2005. A frequent speaker at turfgrass and athletic field seminars across the country, Tom is widely known and respected as one of the top groundskeepers in major league baseball.
Dale Getz, CSFM, CSE, sports fields and grounds sales manager for The Toro Company, and former athletic facilities manager at the University of Notre Dame. Dale was employed at Notre Dame for 17 years, and has published numerous articles on sports turf management.
Boyd Montgomery, CSFM, CSE, commercial district sales manager for The Toro Company, and former facilities and maintenance director at Sylvania Recreation in Sylvania, Ohio. Boyd has also published numerous articles on sports turf management and operations.
Paul Zwaska, technical sales support for Beacon Athletics, and former head groundskeeper for the Baltimore Orioles. Paul has 28 years of grounds experience. He earned a bachelor’s degree in soil science with a specialty in turf and grounds management from the University of Wisconsin.
The Athletic Turf Maintenance Forums are scheduled for August 19 in Portland, OR; August 21 in Seattle; and September 17 in Rock Hill, SC. Register online at: http://beaconathletics.com/seminars-AFM2008-registration.php