The application to submit to STMA’s premiere program, Field of the Year, will be available Fri., May 7. Visit STMA.org and you’ll find the link on the home page, or you can access it from the Programs tab.
This year’s application has one addition: the PCI is required. It was removed for 2020, but has been part of the application process for the previous 11 years.
Awards are given in three levels: Schools and Parks and Rec, Colleges and Universities, and Facilities used by Professional Athletes. In addition, five sports are eligible: baseball, football, softball, soccer and sporting grounds (which is a broad category for non-mainstream sports, such as lacrosse and rugby).
Applications are independently judged by the STMA Awards Committee using a scoring matrix rather than a consensus approach. The deadline to apply is Oct. 15. Winners will be notified in November. Each winner receives three nights of hotel at the upcoming conference, which is Savannah, Ga., Jan. 17-20; signature clothing; and an award that is presented during the annual awards banquet on Jan. 20.