Competition for Sports Venues Can Show Who's Outstanding in the Field

Sports venues have the chance to get creative and get attention for doing so. The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) – the organization for 2,600 men and women professionals overseeing sports fields worldwide and critical to athlete safety – kicks off its fifth annual “Mowing Patterns Contest.”
 
Members craft unique patterns for eligibility to win; only patterns produced with mowing equipment qualify. Entries are submitted via Facebook before Nov. 20. The winner is announced on Dec. 4 and included in a future issue of SportsTurf, STMA’s official monthly publication. Voting is open to all Facebook users.
 
“This contest serves as a vehicle to raise industry awareness and unite fellow sports turf managers,” says Kim Heck, CEO of STMA. “Through fun and creative playing surfaces, our members challenge each other and their results are amazing works of art.” 
 
Last year's winner was Britt Barry, Sports Turf Manager at the Dayton Dragons, Single-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Barry won with his intricate “diamond-patterns” design he crafted at Fifth Third Field, home to the Dragons.
 
The Mowing Patterns winning design will have a custom poster featured at the 2018 STMA Conference & Exhibition (January 16-19) in Fort Worth, Texas. More than 1,600 leaders in the sports turf industry will gather at the Fort Worth Convention Center for nearly 75 hours of cutting-edge sports turf education, dedicated networking functions and exhibitor demonstrations. With eight educational tracks, topics include turfgrass management, professional development, synthetic, industry developments, pest control, renovation, facility management, and soil science.
 
Only STMA members are eligible to enter and previous winners will not be considered.
 
For more information: stma.org, twitter.com/fieldexperts, 800.323.3875.
 
About STMA:  STMA is the non-profit, professional association for men and women who manage sports fields worldwide. Since 1981, it has provided education, information and practical knowledge in the art and science of sports field management. More than 2,600 members across 34 local chapters oversee facilities at schools, colleges and universities, parks and recreational facilities, and professional sports stadiums. Sports include football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, softball, rugby and horse racing.