STMA to host webinar series on field safety

The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) is hosting three webinars this summer that will focus on safer sports fields.

July 2 at 1 p.m. EDT

Dr. Gerald Henry, Athletic Association Endowed Professor from University of Georgia, will be presenting “Enhancing Athletic Field Safety.”

Performance testing of sports fields is necessary to quantify surface properties such as hardness and traction. Enhancements in sensor/sampling technology and increased concern for athlete safety and field performance has driven interest. Spatial maps created from sensors/samplers can depict variability of soil and plant parameters that directly impact turfgrass health, field playability, and player safety. Information generated from sensors/samplers can be used to adjust irrigation systems, implement site-specific management, rotate fields, determine optimal playing conditions, justify equipment use/purchase, and better understand the influence of field conditions on player safety.

July 10 at 2 p.m. EDT

Dr. Andrew McNitt, Professor of Soil Science at Penn State University, will be presenting “Athlete Interaction with the Sports Surface – Awareness and Action Items: Resources that sports field managers, trainers, and administrators can use to improve the safety and playability of sports surfaces.”

This webinar will review informational resources and techniques that can be used to improve the safety and playability of sports fields. Much of the seminar will focus on issues surrounding infilled synthetic turf systems, but some information will be provided on improving natural turfgrass surfaces as well.

Topics will include: proper cleat selection for synthetic vs. natural turfgrass surfaces, why you should monitor and maintain proper infill depth and surface evenness, what can you do about high surface temperatures, infill selection (is tire crumb carcinogenic?), common pitfalls during the design and installation of synthetic turf, is it reasonable to consider mid-season resodding of natural turf, what does it take to improve and maintain natural grass surfaces, evaluating varying techniques to monitor surface hardness, inlay marking issues, MRSA and turf disinfectants, snow removal and others. Bring your questions!

August 13th at 2:30 p.m. EDT

Dr. Jim Brosnan, Associate Professor in the Plant Science Department at the University of Tennessee, will present “Know Your Audience: Strategies for Discussing Pest Management.”

Use of pesticides on athletic fields has faced increased scrutiny in recent years. Many field managers feel comfortable discussing the merits of pesticide use to others within the industry but fail to effectively communicate the benefit and safety of pest control with the general public. This presentation will provide training on how to discuss pesticide use with those outside of the green industry.

 

Photos: STMA