For the past 40 years, Mike Hebrard, owner and operator of Athletic Field Design in Portland, Ore., has transformed obstacles into opportunities while refining the process of painting on athletic turf.
Hebrard recalls standing on the sidelines of the Rose Bowl as a memorable moment in his career. He was invited to work alongside a crew that did things a little differently, but he says he’s never struggled with adaptation and switching gears.
“In this line of work, there’s no playbook. Every time a client asks, ‘Can you do this?’ I say yes, then figure it out. I’ve built my whole career by adapting to challenges no one else has solved before,” says Hebrard.
After managing the basketball team at his alma mater, Portland State University, he was invited to be an assistant coach at West Texas State. Part of this job was selling tickets, and one buyer was John Dittrich, the owner of the Amarillo Gold Sox. Learning of Hebrard’s baseball background as a college catcher, Dittrich invited him to be a bullpen catcher for the team. Hebrard obliged but needed work, so he was hired to help the field manager.
Traveling with the team and speaking to different groundskeepers was integral to building Hebrard’s expertise. Working for the team and practicing with them gave him insights into the quality of the fields and their playability. With this experience, he returned to Portland to start a family. He worked for a seeding business for eight years until his 40th birthday, when he launched Athletic Field Design.
Thirty years ago, Hebrard began using a disc prototype that increased the precision and quality of field painting. The company moved in a different direction but gave Hebrard permission to proceed with it and enhance the device. His innovation, passion and meticulous work set a new standard in the world of field design.
Hebrard stands out in his industry, as he freehands many of the field designs he creates rather than using a stencil. His method is to draw a grid, mapping out the proper sizes, then painting logos using the improved disc design, which has revolutionized athletic turf painting.
“Most of my work doesn’t come out of a stencil. Every job is different, so I freehand the logos and adjust as I go,” says Hebrard.
Hebrard’s process has been to learn through experience; he has become a master at his craft over the past 40 years. His findings on how to create sharp and vibrant field paintings are passed down to his son, Andy, who has also made a name for himself in the world of athletic turf design.
Andy runs his own business in Arizona, Athletic Applications. Although they are in different states, they manage to work on a project together each year and travel to see major league stadiums across the country together.
Both father and son freehand and operate a website, wedontneednostinkinstencils.com, where they have photos of more than 250 designs freehanded by the pair.
When he’s not being called to consult various athletic directors and field professionals, Hebrard enjoys wine tasting with his wife, Kim. And turf painting is truly Hebrard’s passion — he has done yard designs for friends, engagements, holidays and more. Despite having no art background, he has an impressive portfolio of paintings and an understanding of the science and technical skills required to maintain the turf.
“In the end, the easiest and hardest thing in business is the same: just do what you say you’re going to do,” Hebrard says.