For much of the Northern Hemisphere, 2020 has delivered a spring like no other. For Matt Ramirez, director of grounds for the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training complex here in suburban Phoenix, it has been a period of stark contrasts. For all of February and some of March, he and his crews watched as ballplayers took to the fields they had... read more
Renovating a field in any circumstances can be a challenge. In the case of the Colorado Rockies, the field renovation and heating system update included a snowstorm that put the project two weeks behind and a delayed start of the season due to the coronavirus. The delayed start turned out to be a blessing in disguise, however, as it allowed... read more
When March rolled around, Mitch Hooten, head groundskeeper of Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Mich., was anticipating the start of the minor league season for the West Michigan Whitecaps. The infield was shaping up and the water for irrigation was about to be turned on. But then, on March 12, Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball announced a... read more
Andrew Miller is no stranger to the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) awards. Miller recently took home the award for the association’s annual mowing pattern contest. He and students at Brentsville High School in Nokesville, Va., in the school’s turfgrass management program, took home the crown for the association’s Stars and Stripes contest. They also won STMA’s 2018 Field of the Year... read more
Students interested in turfgrass management at South Forsyth High School in Cumming, Ga., already have a leg up on the competition when it comes to both turf knowledge and know-how — all thanks to the school district’s newly developed turfgrass management career path. “We’re engaging students who have a passion for anything from golf course maintenance to the landscaping industry... read more
