According to SFMA Education Manager, Jennifer McLendon, M.Ed., the ultimate goal is for SFMA educational content to become the go-to for anyone in the sports field management industry. In addition to the educational content at the annual SFMA Conference and Exhibition, SFMA offers a wide range of educational content and resources. These include the Turfgrass Science Certification, Turfgrass Management 101, Professional Development offerings, technical resources and more.
Turfgrass Science Certification
SFMA’s Turfgrass Science Certification, tested on the iCEV platform, is an entry-level certification (https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/turfgrass-science-certification/) designed to build a pipeline of skilled turfgrass industry professionals. The certification can be earned by learners in all stages of their education and career and verifies individuals are prepared to pursue a career in the field of turfgrass science.
“We have a lot of really great things happening,” McLendon said of the iCEV curriculum. “We have been approved in Iowa and Maryland, and we just applied to the Texas Education Agency for approval in the state of Texas. We are working to get approved in Florida. Each state is its own entity and has its own plan.”
McLendon added that the curriculum is pending approval in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and South Carolina.
“Our goal, of course, is to be recognized in all 50 states,” she said. “We’re getting there.”
The Turfgrass Science certification assesses knowledge and skills related to the Benefits of Turfgrass; Turfgrass Anatomy, Identification and Adaptations; Turfgrass Environment; Turfgrass Cultural Practices; and Playing Surface Preparation.
The SFMA Turfgrass Science Certification is an ideal entry-level test for learners who wish to pursue careers in turfgrass and sports field management. But the best way to know for sure is to explore the certification page (https://www.icevonline.com/turfgrass).
Turfgrass Management 101
“At our last conference, we announced that we offer Turfgrass Management 101, and Canvas is our learning management system,” said McLendon. “We are live in Canvas, and Turfgrass Management 101 has been updated and vetted by the committee. We have several people per day that sign up for this program through our website. Once the application is completed, they receive information to guide them through the process of signing into Canvas to gain access to the content.”
The Turfgrass Management 101 course (https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/knowledge_center/turfgrass-science-curriculum/) is set up to provide basic knowledge in the core areas of turfgrass science. The curriculum offers comprehensive training in five units:
- Introduction to Turfgrass Science
- Turfgrass Growth and Development, Anatomy and Identification
- Turfgrass Soils
- Turfgrass Cultural Practices
- Turfgrass Establishment
Ongoing professional development
Ongoing professional development, which is also hosted in Canvas, includes education on Interpersonal Skills; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Dynamic Meetings; and the SFMA Mentorship Program.
The SFMA Mentorship Program, launched in early 2024, was designed to provide guidance, support and knowledge-sharing opportunities for individuals passionate about maintaining and enhancing sports fields. The program connects experienced industry professionals with aspiring sports field managers, groundskeepers and maintenance personnel. The SFMA Mentorship Program currently has 38 active members.
Future offerings
In addition to existing offerings, SFMA is also developing a Turfgrass Math Resource Center created by Dr. Quincy Law and Dr. Nick Christians at Iowa State. The resource center will provide information related to irrigation math, fertilizer math, calculating area and more.
SFMA is also creating a Field Painting Resource Center that will cover field layout, powered and non-powered equipment, autonomous painting equipment maintenance, synthetic field painting, game day prep, logo painting tips, and even a section on painting and its effect on health. In addition, SFMA is discussing options for a Synthetic Turf Management resource center.
Resource center development is spearheaded by the SFMA Subject Matter Experts Committee, which includes Tyler Carr, Ph.D.; Weston Floyd, CSFM; Dan Sandor, Ph.D.; Matthew Arms, CSFM; Mike Blunck; Conlan Burbrink; Richard Douglas; Colin Fulks; Marc Moran, CSFM; Steve Ruckman, CSFM; Craig Sampsell, CSFM; Chrissie Segars, Ph.D.; Don Scholl, CSFM; Ryan Storey, CSFM; Aaron Tipton
Technical Resources
The SFMA website Technical Resources section (https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/knowledge-categories/technical-resources/) includes post-conference virtual sessions. Several of the 2025 virtual sessions have already been added, and additional sessions are coming soon.
Additional information
Turfgrass Management 101 courses are free to SFMA members and $60 for nonmembers; resource centers are free for SFMA members and $75 for nonmembers; all other professional development resources are $50 for SFMA members and $75 for nonmembers. For more information, contact Jennifer McLendon at jmclendon@sportsfieldmanagement.org.