Nine STMA Field of the Year winners were honored during the Sports Turf Managers Association’s (STMA) Annual Awards banquet, Fri., Jan. 15, 2010, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The winners of the STMA Field of the Year Awards include:
Baseball
Schools and Parks – McNair Field; Forest City, NC; Brian Blanton
Professional – Whataburger Field; Corpus Christi, TX; Garrett Reddehase
Football
Schools and Parks – War Memorial Stadium Field; Union City, TN; Stephen Crockett, CSFM
Professional – Lambeau Field; Green Bay, WI; Allen Johnson, CSFM
Soccer
Schools and Parks – SDJA Field at San Diego Jewish Academy; San Diego, CA; Joshua Koss
Professional – Community America Ballpark; Kansas City, KS; Jay Griggs
Softball
Schools and Parks – Atlee High School Varsity Softball Field; Mechanicsville, VA; Marc Moran
College – Patricia Wilson Field at Stetson University; DeLand, FL; George Marshall
Sporting Grounds
Schools and Parks – Infinity Park; Glendale, CO; Josh Bertrand
The STMA Field of the Year Award program began in 1992. There are five field types for which awards may be given: Baseball, Football, Soccer, Softball and Sporting Grounds. For each field type, awards may be given in three categories: Professional, College and University, and Schools and Parks. This year there were a total of nine awards presented.
Judging criteria: A panel of seven judges independently scored each entry based on the playability and appearance of the playing surfaces, innovative solutions employed, effective use of budget, and the development and implementation of a comprehensive, sound agronomic program.
The STMA Awards Committee includes Chair Martin Kaufman, CSFM; Jason Bowers, CSFM; Patrick Coakley, CSFM; Andrew Gossel; Lance Tibbetts, CSFM; and Tim VanLoo, CSFM.
Awards Sponsors:
Carolina Green Corp.; Covermaster, Inc; Hunter Industries; and World Class Athletic Surfaces
These sponsors fund full registration to the annual STMA Conference and Exhibition for each award winner, lodging expenses up to $500, and signature clothing for the award winners and their staff. The winning fields will also be featured in a 2010 article in SportsTurf Magazine, the industry’s premier publication.