The SFMA Innovative Award is given to one or more exhibitors whose innovation has made the sports field manager more effective or the playing surface safer. The 2025 winning products were as follows:
Hunter Wireless Valve Link (WVL)
Running wire from the controller to field valves can be time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive. The Hunter Wireless Valve Link (WVL) system uses LoRa Technology so you can easily connect valves without running additional wires or cutting into hardscape. It features simple, wire-free connections, works with Hunter ICC2 and HCC controllers, and is compatible with Centralus and Hydrawise Software. The WVL adds up to 54 valves (+P/MV) up to 2,000 feet line-of-sight or more with a repeater. License-free LoRa Technology enables wireless communication directly to the valve box — no copper field wiring required. WVL combines with conventional ICM or two-wire EZDS modules for ultimate flexibility.
Wiedenmann STrac 720 with ST 170 flex fraise mowing head
The STrac 720 with the ST 170 flex fraise mowing head is a pedestrian fraise mower that will fraise mow the infield and outfield lips of a baseball field, creating a safer playing surface. By eliminating these lips, you are removing a tripping hazard by leveling the surface and also reducing the unpredictable bounce of a baseball that can occur when the ball is hit into the lip. The transition zone(s) between the infield and outfield is smooth and level due to the application from the STrac 720 with the ST 170 flex fraise mowing head. The STrac 720 is a multipurpose machine with other heads that can be quickly swapped out. Other heads include a verticutting head, coring head, sod cutting head, sand fill head and several seeder heads.
The SFMA’s Innovative Awards Program celebrates commercial members who have developed cutting-edge products, services, equipment, or technologies that advance the field of sports field management. A dedicated SFMA Innovative Awards Task Group meticulously evaluates each entry based on a range of criteria, including need fulfillment, creativity, resource savings, technological\advancement, ease of use, productivity improvements, quality enhancements, environmental protection and overall efficiency gains.
