STMA Board of Directors Formulate Strategy to Clarify Sports Field Surfaces Terminology

The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) – the non-profit, professional association comprised of 2,700 men and women professionals overseeing sports fields worldwide and critical to athletes’ safety –  and its Board of Directors have put a plan in place to clarify sports field surfaces terminology throughout the industry.

The term turf has become ubiquitous when referring to playing surfaces. In clarifying proper terminology, this creates a standard dialogue for athletes, spectators and professionals within the industry to consistently describe a sports field surface in an accurate manner. STMA members have degrees in plant and soil science, turfgrass management, agronomy and other science based majors in which accuracy and details are vital. A profession that relies on science as its basis must be accurate to maintain credibility.

Recognizing the confusion that was attained by previous terminology utilized within the industry, the STMA Board of Directors and the Synthetic Turf Council collaborated and agreed to “natural grass” to describe the specific field surface type and “synthetic turf” to describe artificial surfaces. Additionally, the term, “turfgrass,” will be supported by the academic community to describe natural grass surfaces.

“Our industry, athletes and fans will benefit by better understanding the type of field surface their outdoor sports are being played on. Player safety has always been and will continue to be our top focus,” says Jimmy Simpson, CSFM, STMA President “Our members’ have the expertise to manage both types of surfaces to the highest level of safety.”

Founded in 2003, the STC is the world’s largest organization representing the synthetic turf industry. It is a resource for current, credible and independent research on the safety and environmental impact of synthetic turf, as well as technical guidance on the selection, installation, maintenance and environmentally responsible disposal of synthetic turf.

STMA represents a wealth of sports field managers overseeing both natural grass and synthetic turf facilities. The STMA Institute serves as the industry hub of knowledge and hosts numerous educational resources from best practices to rules and regulations for both natural grass and synthetic turf playing surfaces. With athlete safety and environmental responsibility being of paramount concern, it is the mission of STMA to ensure that world-class standards are upheld at each sporting field across the country.

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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 2,700 members across 32 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.