The Call for Presentations deadline for SFMA’s 2023 Conference and Exhibition is April 8. The conference will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah from January 16-19, 2023. Submit a proposal to share your knowledge and experiences with your peers. SFMA is seeking presentations in the following competency areas:
General Turfgrass Management – SFMA is always seeking to provide education on how to better manage fields and facilities. Presentations about mowing, nutrient management, improving sports field rootzones, pest control, best environmental practices, and more, fit into this category.
Water Management/Irrigation – This competency will include topics on best management practices for water on sports fields. Consider submitting presentations about water restrictions, water shortages, drainage, high precipitation events, and irrigation.
Research/New Technology – The industry is evolving and sports field managers need to be educated on current research and technological advances. This includes, but is not limited to, unbiased research on products and practices to improve plant health and field safety, as well as innovations in the industry.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Individuals that care for and enjoy sports and recreational surfaces vary in many ways including race, gender, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and ability. SFMA is a community built on inclusion and we are seeking presentations that encourage diversity in the workplace, promote justice and fairness, and ensure individuals feel included and welcome.
Professional/Leadership Development – Expectations on many of our sports field professionals are changing and SFMA is seeking presentations that address communication, negotiation, public speaking, interview skills, managing up, problem solving, leadership, teamwork, work/life balance, and more.
Baseball – Infield skin maintenance and management is a unique part of sports field management. Presentations can include best practices used at the professional levels that can be useful to lower budget facilities, unbiased research on infield products, preparation and recovery from special events, recruitment and retention initiatives, industry specific field techniques, and more.
Synthetic – Some sports field managers may be challenged with synthetic field management. SFMA is seeking presentations about getting a seat at the table when a decision is being made about synthetic installation, as well as unbiased information on synthetic field maintenance, lifecycle costs, and field safety.
The Conference Education Committee completes a thorough review of each presentation in order to give everyone equal consideration. Presentations that are not selected may be presented as a webinar or shared with SportsField Management magazine for possible use as an article.
Please complete and submit all the required materials by the April 8, 2022 deadline. Submittals will be reviewed by the SFMA Conference Education Committee, and notification of selection will be sent out in early June. For any additional questions, please contact Kristen Althouse at kalthouse@sportsfieldmanagement.org.