MPSTMA NEWS - SPRING 2014

Park SportsTurfMINNESOTA

&MANAGERS ASSOCIATION NEWS

Vol. 4, No. 1 Spring 2014

Former Metropolitan Stadium Turf Manager Dick EricsonInducted into 2014 MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA PARK AND SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

Park SportsTurf

MPSTMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

PRESIDENTBEN WALLIN

NationalSports [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENTNICK GERMANN

University of [email protected]

TREASURERROGER WEINBRENNER CSFM

University of St. [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENTRICK BEANE

City of St. Louis [email protected]

DIRECTORS

GENERAL DIRECTORBEN BOEDING, CSFM

City of [email protected]

GENERAL DIRECTORMATT GROSJEAN

University of [email protected]

COMMERCIAL DIRECTORGARY RINGUSProperty Props

[email protected]

COMMERCIAL DIRECTORMATT CAVANAUGH

PBI Gordon [email protected]

MTGF REPRESENTATIVEPAUL GRIFFIN

City of [email protected]

MTGF REPRESENTATIVEJOE CHURCHILL

Reinders [email protected]

MPSTMA OFFICEEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

JEFF TURTINEN952-473-3722��P.�O.�Box�617

Wayzata,�MN�[email protected]

www.mpstma.org

“Spring is in Sight!”BEN WALLIN

President

2 MPSTMA NEWS www.mpstma.org SPRING 2014

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

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MEMBERS OF:

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For those who don't know me, I am Ben Wallin, MPSTMA President. I grew up in Nisswa, a

small town north of Brainerd. I now live in Andover with my wife, Stephanie and our two boys,

Ethan (6), and Levi (18 months). I currently am the Assistant Superintendent at the National

Sports Center (NSC) in Blaine. We have more than 40 sports fields to maintain, including a

stadium field that won the 2012 MPSTMA / Turfco Field of the Year. Additionally, the NSC has

an indoor soccer field, velodrome cycling track, 18 hole

championship golf course, and the Schwans Super Rink

featuring eight sheets of ice of which four are Olympic-

sized.

Enough about that.

I hope you have made plans to attend ourMarch 11 Spring Workshop at the University of

Northwestern. If not, register on-line at

www.mpstma.org. More information about the work-

shop can be found on the following pages.

In January, I attended the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) national conference in

San Antonio, Tex. If you have been on the fence about going to the national conference, I strongly

recommend going. This is a good way to connect with not only the local guys that you would be

going with but networking with attendees from around the world dealing with some of the same

issues in their cities, parks, sports fields, or even organizations. Next year’s national conference

takes place Jan. 15-18 in Denver, Colo.

I know there are expenses with the travel, lodging, meals and registration; but I would like to

say that it is worth it when you listen to a keynote speaker like Rick Riggsby who will have you

chanting IMPACT one minute, then close to tears, then back to feeling good about yourself at the

end --had to be there.

The seminars were very good, too. I will not go into detail but when you're taking a class, and

most of the classmates are field managers of the best sports parks in the USA and Europe, you

pay a little more attention to the topics.

The trade show portion is smaller than the Northern Green Expo but it offered a lot of new

products along with products that have been around and are still very useful in the industry.

Hopefully, you can put it in your plans and your budget to attend in the near future.

Once again, hope to see you at the Spring Workshop on March 11!

Until next time,

Ben WallinBen Wallin

President

Minnesota Park and Sports Turf Managers Association

SPRING 2014 www.mpstma.org MPSTMA NEWS 3

AGENDA

7:00 - 8:00 Registration, vendor time, coffee and donuts

8:00 - 8:10 Welcome from the University of Northwestern

8:10 - 8:30 The CSFM Test: Difficulty and Other Things to ExpectBen Boeding, CSFM, City of Eagan

8:30- 9:30 Management Practices to Reduce Winter Injury & Promote Spring RecoveryDr. Lindsay Hoffman, University of Minnesota

9:30 - 10:30 Vendor introductions, coffee break, vendor time

TRACK 1 10:30 - 11:30

Liability and Your FacilityPatrick D. McGuiness, Attorney

Zlimen & McGuiness

11:30 - 12:30 Lunch

12:30 - 1:00 Dick Ericson, recognized as MPSTMA Honorary Member

1:00 - 2:00 Bridging the Generation Gap in the Turf IndustryTim VanLoo, Iowa State University

MPSTMA Spring Workshop Set March 11At University of Northwestern in St. Paul

The MPSTMA Spring Workshop isset for Tues., March 11 at the Universityof Northwestern in St. Paul. SpringWorkshop hosts Jeff Hintz, NickGermann and Tim Kelson look forwardto the event.

Education, vendor tabletop displaysand special recognition to Dick Ericson,former turf manager at the formerMetropolitan Stadium in Bloomingtonare planned for the workshop.Speakers on hand will be:

Larry Thompson, FacilityManagement Safety Program,University of Minnesota; Tim VanLoo,CSFM, Iowa State University; BenBoeding, CSFM, City of Eagan, andPatrick McGuiness, Attorney, Zlimen &McGuiness.

Pre-registration open on-line untilMarch 10. Go to www.mpstma.org.

Walk-ups are always welcome to all MPSTMA events!

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TRACK 2 10:30 - 11:30

Personal Safety in the Turfgrass IndustryLarry Thompson, University of Minnesota


Ben Wallin, National Sports Centerin Blaine, was elected president of theMPSTMA at the Jan. 9, 2014 MPSTMAAnnual Meeting. Out-going presidentRick Beane, City of St. Louis Park,handed the president’s gavel to Wallin.Beane will serve as past-president.

Winning the Vice Presidentvote was Nick Germann, Universityof Northwestern, who beat JerryJacobsen, The Blake Schools.

Ben Boeding, City of Eagan, whoedged 34-year member LowellLuebeck, City of Plymouth, by one votefor General Member Representative.

Gary Ringus, Property Props,won another close race by three votesover Al Hentges, Kromer Co. for theCommercial Representative position.

Paul Griffin ran unopposed for theopen MTGF Representative. Griffin iscurrently Vice President of theMinnesota Turf and GroundsFoundation.

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Wallin Elected MPSTMA President; Germann, Boeding and Ringus also Gain Spots on Board

NEW MPSTMA PRESIDENT BEN WALLIN, right, accepts the President’s Gavel fromout-going president Rick Beane, City of St. Louis Park. Wallin is an AssistantSuperintendent at the National Sports Center in Blaine.


Overflowing crowds in many seminar rooms was acommon sight at the 2014 Northern Green Expo(NGE) at the Minneapolis Convention Center in early

January. Total atten-dance for the three dayconference was 6,271.

The keynote addressby John Kennedy (pic-tured below) was well-received and provided

an energetic boost to attendees and exhibitors. The MTGF celebrated 20 years of funding turf and

grounds research at the University of Minnesota. TheMTGF has donated more than $1,000,000 to helpfund research projects that directly impact the greenindustry in Minnesota and turf and grounds profes-sionals.

Compared to 2013, more companies bought morebooths to fill the Trade Show hall. Vendors generallyseemed pleased with the Trade show traffic, especiallyon Thursday.

The NGE will return to the Minneapolis ConventionCenter on Jan. 14-16, 2015.

In these following figures, attendees were asked to"check all that apply" and consequently the percentagesadd up to greater than 100.

Industry Segment Breakdown at NGE

Arborist ............................................................... 8.5%

Cemetery ............................................................. 2.4%

Florist .................................................................. 2.5%

Flower Grower .................................................... 5.3%

Garden Center ..................................................... 16.6%

Gardening Services ............................................. 12.5%

Golf Course ......................................................... 14.0%

Hardscape Installer ............................................ 20.3%

Irrigation Contractor .......................................... 8.9%

Landscape Contractor ........................................ 26.0%

Landscape Designer ........................................... 20.5%

Landscape Management ..................................... 16.5%

Non-Profit ........................................................... 1.8%

Nursery Grower ................................................... 14.5%

Parks/Recreation ................................................ 13.4%

School Grounds .................................................. 4.7%

Sod Grower ........................................................ 1.4%

Sports Turf .......................................................... 7.9%

Student ................................................................ 3.1%

Tree Care Services ............................................... 7.3%

Other ................................................................... 4.8%

Geographic Origination

Minnesota ........................................................... 86.86%

Wisconsin ........................................................... 4.96%

Iowa ..................................................................... 1.98%

North Dakota ...................................................... 1.00%

South Dakota ....................................................... 1%

Other ................................................................... 4.54%

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Companies, Booths, Attendance All UpAt MNLA/MTGF Northern Green Expo

At this time, the MPSTMA has three applicants for the2014 Community Service Project. They are located inMaplewood, St. Peter and Kasson. The Community ServiceProject Committee will visit each site when the snow melts.

The CSP Committee consists of: Mike McDonald,CSFM, TCF Bank Stadium; Paul Griffin, City of Woodbury;Dave Nozal, Tree Trust; Jon Almquist, The Toro Co.; MikeBrunelle, Town & Country Landscapes; Greg Hoag, City ofBrooklyn Park, and Ben Boeding, CSFM, City of Eagan.

This is a great way to learn hands-on, what it takes toproperly prepare all areas of a ball field.

Typical CSP needs: Seed, fertilizer, ag-lime, trucking(ex. delivering ag-lime, soil, etc.), skid loader, aerator, trac-tor, seeder, topdresser, fence products, bases, benches,utility carts and a laser grader.

Volunteers: This is a great way to learn hands-on,what it takes to properly prepare all areas of a ball field.

Please contact Mike McDonald, CSFM, at 612-625-5154or any of the above committee members if you are interest-ed in volunteering or have equipment or products availablefor this year’s project. The work day is from 8 a.m. to 4p.m. Half day shifts are welcome, too! Lunch is served.

The 2014 CSP applicants:1. East Twins Field, MaplewoodWish list: Rebuild Mound (needs to be moved a few

inches), Level infield grass and ag surface, Level out amajor drop-off behind second base towards outfield.

Why: Mound project because alignment is off. The lev-eling of field is a safety issue because balls are starting totake bad hops. The drop-off is also a safety issue. Theentire field is irrigated.

2. Saint Peter Public SchoolsNorth Intermediate Field, Saint PeterWish list: We would like to level the field so water run-

off doesn't wash the ag-lime away, replace an overused /undermaintained outfield / Phy. Ed field.

Why: The outfield is almost void of any turf making itonly slightly softer than the asphalt next to it. The otherissue is the community is lacking youth baseball fields. Asour field sits now, too much run-off from the buildingcauses the ag-lime to wash away. The field was built in1965. At times the city has maintained the infield duringJune and July. The school district maintains the turf. Ithas not had regular irrigation due to a lack of resources.

3. North Fields, KassonWish list: Fields must be re-graded, leveled and needs

drainage installed.Why: The fields are full of ruts and collect water. Many

players have been injured due to the low quality of thefields. The fields are about 6 years old. They are not irri-gated and the only maintenance has been to Aerate themtwice a year along with some seeding.


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V O L U N T E E R S A R E N E E D E D


Dick Ericson, retired from the Minnesota Twins, wasrecently inducted into the Major League BaseballGroundskeepers Hall of Fame. Ericson was honored onJanuary 26, 2014 at the MLB Groundskeeper Meetings atMarlins Park in Miami, Florida.

Lexington Park in St. Paul

Ericson began his career as a teenager at Lexington Parkin St. Paul, home of the American Association's St. PaulSaints. After serving in the Navy during the Korean War,Ericson returned to work at Nicollet Park in Minneapolis,home of the AAA Minneapolis Millers. As headgroundskeeper, he moved with the team into brand-newMetropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.

Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington

In 1961, he continued in his role at the Met as MLBbrought the Minnesota Twins to the Twin Cities. From1961 to 1981, he maintained the field for both the Twinsand the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. In 1982, Ericsonmoved with both teams to the Metrodome, where heserved as superintendent until his retirement in 1995. In acareer spanning six decades, Ericson helped host three

World Series and two MLB All-Star Games, as well ascountless other events at both multi-use facilities. He wasalso elected the first president of the Sports Turf ManagersAssociation (STMA) in 1981.

The Hall of Fame honor came after a vote by theAssociation of Major League Baseball (MLB)

Groundskeepers. To be considered for induction to theMLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame, a candidate must haveceased to be employed full-time in the profession for atleast five years and have made a significant contribution togroundskeeping and the sports turf industry at the MajorLeague level. An individual’s impact on the community isalso considered.

Inductees to the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame arehonored on the Gary Vanden Berg trophy – named inhonor of the late Vanden Berg, Gill’s successor inMilwaukee. Previous inductees are Emil Bossard(Cleveland Indians), George Toma (Kansas City Royals)and Joe Mooney (Boston Red Sox). Ericson honored onJanuary 26, 2014 at the MLB Groundskeeper Meetings atMarlins Park in Miami.

In 1981, when a small group of turfgrass managers,including Ericson and Toma, believed sports turf could beimproved through sharing of knowledge and exchange ofideas, the STMA was officially formed.

The Metrodome in Minneapolis

Ericson followed the Twins and Vikings to theMetrodome. Ericson, who worked at the Metrodome fromthe time the Twins began play there in 1982 until heretired in 1995, said he would turn on fans behind homeplate and adjust the air conditioning. The former superin-tendent at the Metrodome admits he tried to help theMinnesota Twins by adjusting the ventilation system dur-ing the late innings of close games in an attempt to getbaseballs to carry farther. "I don't feel guilty. ... It's yourhome-field advantage. Every stadium has got one.'' TheTwins won the World Series in 1987 and 1991.

(Editor’s Note: Dick Ericson will also be recognized as anHonorary Member of the Minnesota Park and Sports TurfManagers Association at the MPSTMA Spring Workshop onMarch 11.)

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Minnesota Turf Manager Dick Ericson Inducted Into 2014 MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame

“The former superintendent at theMetrodome admits he tried to help the

Minnesota Twins by adjusting the ventilation system during the late

innings of close games in an attempt to get baseballs to carry farther. ‘I

don't feel guilty...it's your home-field advantage. Every stadium has got one.'’


Metropolitan Stadiumopened on April 24, 1956 at acost of $8.5 million.

The major league tenantswere the Minnesota TwinsBaseball Club, MinnesotaVikings Football Club and theMinnesota Kicks Soccer Club.

The transition from baseballto football at the facility wasfairly simple as the gridironwas in the middle of the base-ball field, running from thethird base line to the outfieldin right-center field.

Metropolitan Stadiumwas built on a farm in 1956for the American AssociationMinneapolis Millers. It origi-nally consisted of a curvedtriple-decker grandstand thatran from first base to thirdbase. The owner of the NewYork Giants (the parent team of the Millers) was quoted assaying that the Met "is the finest minor league park in thecountry, and there are not two in the majors that are bet-ter."

Met Stadium was located in Bloomington between: 1stbase (W) Cedar Avenue South; right field (E) East 83rdStreet; Left field (S) 24th Avenue South; 3rd base (N) 83rdStreet (renamed to Killebrew Drive).

In 1961, the Washington Senators moved in andbecame the Minnesota Twins. Permanent bleacherswere added along the left field line, a temporary bleacherwas installed in left field and the first and second deckswere extended down the right field line.

In 1965, the Met played host to the 1965 Major LeagueBaseball All-Star Game and a concert by The Beetles. TheVikings replaced the temporary left field bleacher with adouble-decked left field pavilion in 1965.

In 1970, a bomb scare delayed the August 25 Twins-Red Sox game as 17,967 fans filed calmly into the outfieldand parking lots.

In 1977, the Minnesota Kicks Soccer Club beganplaying games at Metropolitan Stadium and people filledthe stands because of a winning soccer team.

In 1982, the Twins and Vikings moved into theMetrodome in downtown Minneapolis. Met Stadiumthen became the first modern park to be abandoned. Threeyears later, the stadium was demolished to make way forthe Mall of America. A commemorative home plate isplaced at the Mall of America near the original spot atMetropolitan Stadium.

Metropolitan Stadium was FirstModern Park to be Abandoned

The major league tenants at Metropolitan Stadium were the Minnesota Twins Baseball Club,

Minnesota Vikings Football Club and the Minnesota Kicks Soccer Club.


Employee handbooks are a great way of explaining com-pany policies and procedures. They can provide employeeswith an overview of the company, the working practices &environment. A good handbook can also provide a busi-ness with a layer of legal protection by setting clear stan-dards and expectations which employees must complywith. In short, a good handbook is essential to running agood business.

On the other hand, a poorly done employee handbookcan cause a lot of harm. Business managers and ownerstend to want very rigid policies in place that addressalmost every fathomable situation. Having policies in placethat are too specific can make it hard for employers to beflexible in dealing with real situations. Policies that are toobroad can have the opposite effect and make it hard forbusinesses to hold employees accountable. These seem liketwo sides to the same coin, and in a way they are.

How do you strike the perfect balance when writing anemployee handbook? A good way to start is by knowing thepossible pitfalls surrounding employee handbooks. Beloware five common mistakes companies make in relation toemployee handbooks.

5. An Overly Detailed Discipline Policy

It is important to have some form of discipline policy inplace for employees. Identify what types of actions are sub-ject to discipline and what the general consequences willbe for those actions. Do NOT have an extremely detailedlist of what the consequences are for each specific infrac-tion or number of infractions. Doing this removes theemployers’ ability to be flexible in a given situation andtake into account other factors which aren’t addressed orweren’t contemplated by the handbook.

For example, some handbooks have policies which spec-ify that a verbal warning will be the initial disciplinary stepfor a policy violation. However, this policy does not makesense if the first violation is a serious one such as an act ofviolence. Employers should have the flexibility to addresseach situation in a manner which is fitting. To create themost flexibility, an employer should specify at the begin-ning of the handbook that ANY violation a company policy,whether or not stated in the handbook, has the potential tolead to discipline, up to and including termination.

4. Not Controlling Overtime

I cannot stress enough how important it is for a busi-ness to monitor and control overtime hours of employees.Not only for business reasons such as keeping control oflabor costs, but also for legal reasons. Overtime policiesshould be written so that they limit unauthorized overtime.

First, the handbook should define when the company’s“workweek” is. It does not need to be Sunday throughSaturday and can be any seven day period such as 12:00midnight Wednesday through 11:59pm on Tuesday. The

“workweek” can be changed periodically, but not as amechanism to avoid the accrual of overtime hours.

Second, the overtime policy should require that employ-ees receive permission to work overtime hours. If anemployee then fails to obtain permission for overtime, thecompany will still be required to pay the overtime, but theywill then have a documented violation of the policy andcan discipline the employee accordingly.

3. Not Following the Policies in the Handbook

Often, a business owner will come to my law firm seek-ing a “standard employee handbook” that they can use.Somehow, there is the notion that such a standard docu-ment exists and should be readily available to businessowners at a low cost. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Employee handbooks should be carefully and uniquelydrafted to reflect the policies and procedures used by aparticular business.

Simply having an employee handbook that doesn’treflect a company’s policies is almost worse than having nohandbook at all. If the company does not follow the poli-cies they have laid out, then they can lose their ability toenforce them at a later date. Specifically, this often comesup when an employee is terminated. If the employee wasterminated according to the policies or procedures in thehandbook, but up to that point, the employee had neverbeen disciplined according to the handbook, the employeecould use that as a part of their argument should theydecide to sue the company. This is just one example of whyit can be harmful to a company to not follow their ownpolicies.

2. Not Reviewing the Handbook on a Regular Basis

Like many areas of law, employment law changes often.It would be impossible and unnecessary to make an updat-ed employee handbook each time there is a law change.

(Continued on Page 11)

5 Biggest Employee Handbook MistakesBy Patrick D. McGuinessZlimen & McGuiness, PLLC

“If the employee was terminated

according to the policies or procedures

in the handbook, but up to that point,

the employee had never been disciplined

according to the handbook, the employee

could use that as a part of their argument

should they decide to sue the company.”


Employee Handbook-(Continued from Page 10)

However, handbooks should be reviewed regularly sothat important changes to the law can be incorporated.Just because a policy is listed in the employee handbookdoes not mean that the policy is legal. Regular review canensure that the handbook is compliant and serves the com-pany’s interests.

It is also important to review the employee handbook ona regular basis so that it conforms to any policy changesthe company has made. As always, having the handbookcorrectly represent the policies and procedures of the com-pany is important so if a company finds that they are notusing a certain section of their existing handbook, perhapsit would be a good time to figure out a way that the policiesin that section can be changed so that they are used.

1. Not Having an Employee Handbook

Despite all of the employee handbook issues and prob-lems discussed so far, having an employee handbook isstill a very good idea. Without a handbook, there is nothingwhich a business can point to and say “here is what ourpolicy is.” In the event of a dispute between a company andan employee, it becomes a battle of words and accusationswith judges often finding on the side of an employee whoappears sympathetic. Putting employee policies in writingis a great way to protect the company’s interests.

Another great thing about employee handbooks is thatthey can be a great resource. It can summarize informationfor employees and can also be a guide for people in chargeof implementing the policies found in the handbook. Itshould also give direction about where to go with any con-cerns an employee may have about the workplace.

To be effective, handbooks cannot be “one size fits all.”When your customer is considering project at their home,there is not a standard solution for everyone, there aremany considerations such as how the space will be used,square footage of the property, energy considerations, andso on. The same applies for employee handbooks. Thehandbook should be a document which accurately reflectsa company’s culture, policies and procedures and eachhandbook should be unique.

If you do not have an employee handbook, now may bea good time to create one. If you have a handbook but havenot reviewed it regularly, consider updating it. Either way,the issues discussed above should assist you in avoidingsome common handbook mistakes so that your company’shandbook can be most effective.

* * *(Editor’s Note: This article provides general information on

business matters and should not be relied upon as legal advice.

A qualified attorney must analyze all relevant facts and apply

the applicable law to any matter before legal advice can be

given. For more information regarding employee handbooks or

other legal matters, please contact Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC

at 651-206-3203 or [email protected])

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As a park supervisor or sports turf manager, a portion of your

time is spent on budgets --whether you are managing your

monthly numbers on expenditures, forecasting for the future or

going through the annual preparation process. With so much

time and energy focused on your budget, make certain that that

when it is time to present your budget for approval you have a

defensible plan.

Five areas that can send up red flags

1. Half the story. There are few things more distressing to

your employer than being told up front about only part of the

costs involved in a proposed project. The surprise ending comes

later, when more money is suddenly needed to keep things going.

You lose credibility, and set yourself up for more scrutiny in the

future.

2. Far from average. Asking for a budget increase by some

percentage that is dramatically different from the rate at which

the overall business/revenue is growing. For example, if the

organization is growing at roughly 10 percent a year and you

request a 200 percent budget increase, it sends up a ‘red flag.’

And it works the other way, too. A request for just an inflation

adjustment when the rest of the organization is growing rapidly

also causes questions. Not that these necessarily mean that there

is a problem, but they will cause a closer review of your proposed

budget and may lead your employer to believe you are unaware of

the current environment.

3. Out of alignment. With all the emphasis on business

alignment these days, you’d think there would be nary an

unaligned project proposed, but it still happens. Be cautious

about proposing a project that focuses on a low-priority issue.

The fact that you are not aware that it is a low priority for the

institution suggests that you are out of touch.

4. Not all there. In addition to providing incomplete infor-

mation about costs, budgets may fail to specify in enough detail

considerations such as, which organizational goals the proposed

project will support and how, exactly, it will support them.

5. Vague plans. Watch the use of obscure statistics as a

rationale for a budget increase. For example, you may have read

somewhere that sports turf managers are increasing their opera-

tional budgets by10 percent in the next year, so you request that

same increase without knowing what you’ll spend it on. Again,

this can cause your employer to question your business judg-

ment.

Source: Raghavan Rajaji, CIO.com


Top 5 Red Flags to Budget Approval

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Recognizing the importance of fos-tering and improving professionalismwithin the sports turf industry, theSports Turf Managers Associationdeveloped the Certified Sports FieldManager certification program.

The purpose of the program is to:Increase professionalism in the sportsturf industry; Promote better andsafer sports turf areas; establish cre-dentials that signify a specific level ofexpertise; increase career opportuni-ties and promote the sports turf man-ager and the profession; providerecognition for attaining a level ofexpertise and performance as profes-sionals in the industry; stimulate andmotivate improved performance andincreased professionalism; andincrease opportunities for educationand training.

Certification validates to youremployer, to your peers and to theindustry at-large that you have goneabove and beyond the requirements ofjob performance and have demon-strated a superior level of competence.With this recognition can comeincreased compensation. Duringemployment searches, those with theCSFM designation have a competitiveedge over those who are not certified.

In order to qualify to test for

certification status, the individualmust have a minimum of 40 pointsearned through a combination of edu-cation and experience. The CSFMexam covers agronomics, administra-tion, pest management, and sportsspecific issues. Once certification isachieved, continuing education andindustry service is required.

Just as great sports accomplish-ments raise the bar for all competi-tors, excellence in field care raises thelevel of expectations for all sports turf

managers. The results are better fieldsand safer fields at all levels of sportscompetition.

Minnesota has eight certifiedsports field managers. They are:Dale Getz, CSFM; Connie Rudolph,CSFM; Mike McDonald, CSFM; BoydMontgomery, CSFM; Ben Boeding,CSFM; Roger Weinbrenner, CSFM;Steve Berg, CSFM, and Tom Rudberg,CSFM.

Contact STMA at 1-800-323-3875to start the process of certification.


Benefits of Being a CertifiedSports Field Manager

MINNESOTA CERTIFIED SPORTS FIELD MANAGERS (CSFM). Pictured from the left:Mike McDonald, CSFM, TCF Bank Stadium; Ben Boeding, CSFM, City of Eagan; RogerWeinbrenner, CSFM, University of St. Thomas, and Steve Berg, CSFM, J & DContractors (Ind.)


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ATHLETIC IIaatthhlleettiicc ggrraassss mmiixxttuurree wwiitthh RRPPRR

WWhhyy AAtthhlleettiicc IIII wwiitthh RRPPRR�� Self-repairing� Excellent green color� Fast establishment� Dense turf� High seed quality

The varieties used in ATHLETIC II are:50% RPR Regenerating perennial ryegrass25% Barduke Kentucky bluegrass25% Barimpala Kentucky bluegrass

GGrreeaatt iinn GGrraassss®®

Athletic II with RPR -One tough turf!

Athletic II is a high quality mix of Barenbrug’s award

winning RPR® (Regenerating Perennial Ryegrass®) and two

proven Kentucky bluegrass varieties. Athletic II is ideal for

sports fields due to it’s unrivaled traffic tolerance and

unique ability of RPR to repair itself. No other perennial

ryegrass on the market is as unique as RPR.

Athletic II with RPR comes in a yellow Barenbrug bag so

you can rest assured you are receiving the highest quality

seed available. Don’t take chances with your turf - rely on

Barenbrug for all your seed needs.

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ABOUT THE COVER:�A�photo�of�Metropolitan�Stadium�in�Bloomington�when�it�played�host�for�the�Minnesota�Twins�MLB�club.�Former�Turf�Manager�for�Met�Stadium�Dick�Ericson�was�inducted�into�the�2014�MLB�Groundskeepers�Hall�of�Fame.�See�related�stories�on�Pages�8-9.

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