Groundskeeper Chats

Championship Crew: Groundskeeper Chat with Aaron Fink

At the SFMA Conference, Lynn Family Stadium's Field Maintenance Manager, Aaron Fink sat down for an episode with Meg and Chris. Aaron is a proud protégé of the Nielsen Mafia and is creating a championship crew of his own. Fink got his start working for Tom Nielsen at Slugger Field with the Louisville Bats. Then followed in Nielsen's footsteps to soccer at Lynn Family Stadium. Fink oversees field operations for Louisville City FC, Racing Louisville FC and Louisville City FC Academy.

Creating a Community: Groundskeeper Chat with Abby McNeal

2024 Pioneers in the Field class member Abby McNeal joined us at the booth in Daytona Beach to reflect on the recent honor. Abby shared with us how humbled she was to take the time to look back on her career and all those who helped her along the way. Here's what you'll hear in this week's #GroundskeeperChat: 

• The importance of networking and creating a community
• Why Parks and Rec is so special to Abby 
• The welcoming nature of our industry 
• What Abby looks for when hiring 
• Lastly, what has Abby excited for the future of sports turf

 

The Future of Sports Turf: Groundskeeper Chat with Ryan Bjorn

We invited Ryan Bjorn back to our Groundskeeper Chat series during the SFMA conference in Daytona Beach. Bjorn recapped his SFMA session "The Future of Sports Turf". Meg, Weston and Chris caught up with Bjorn and asked him how manages the changes within his own organization and the industry as a whole.

Building a Brand: Groundskeeper Chat with Andy Ommen

Andy Ommen's, CSFM, origin story starts with a bad hop during a little league game when he was coaching his son's team. Years later, Ommen went from passionate parent to a Certified Sports Field Manger to SFMA's Field of the Year Winner to part-owner of Professional Outdoor Solutions. Andy joined us in Daytona Beach to talk about the building blocks of a brand and business.

Championship Crew: Groundskeeper Chat with Ben Jackson

Ben Jackson is the Director of Grounds of the Columbus Crew soccer team. Ben grew up outside of Columbus loving the crew and soccer long before it was cool. A high school assignment introduced him to turf and Darian Daily who took him under his wing and hired him on as a part-time crew member while still in high school. Ben went on to work for Matt Williams, complete his turf degree through The Ohio State University and today leads  the crew that gave him his first home in the industry. With one of the coolest turf origin stories in our industry, Ben's episode is filled with Ohio roots and a love for the game.

Ballfields on a Budget: Groundskeeper Chat with Ryan DeMay

Meg was thrilled to welcome back one of her very first guests of our Groundskeeper Chat series back to the mic! Ryan DeMay is the owner of Field Source Ohio and expert on helping groundskeepers create budgets, negotiate their bottom line and earn themselves a seat at the table. This episode brought OH-IO roots to Daytona Beach, here's what you'll hear in this week's #Groundskeeper Chat episode: 

• DeMay's Turf Origin Story 
• SFMA session recap: "Ballfields on a Budget" 
• The importance of collecting data and how to utilize it to help justify your needs
• Explaining the Why 
• Building the Field Source Ohio Team
• Lastly, Weston's Weather Report 

A little bit more about our guest...
Ryan DeMay is a proud The Ohio State University ATI Turf and OSU Turf Alumni. DeMay is the owner/principal of Field Source Ohio and Certified Sports Field Manager. 

Visibility Matters: Groundskeeper Chat with Larry DiVito

Meg Kruger, joined by co-host Chris Bell, was thrilled to invite 2024 Pioneers in the Field class member Larry DiVito to our Groundskeeper Chat series. The trio recap the highlights of DiVito's origin story and his long-time career in Major League Baseball. DiVito shares his passion for groundskeepers finding the spotlight and helping this industry grow. DiVito is the Head Groundskeeper for the Minnesota Twins. 

Bulldog Turf Toys: Groundskeeper Chat with Cathy Kropff and Morgan Edwards

Everyone's favorite vendor, Bulldog Field Equipment, joined us at the booth during the SFMA conference to give us an exclusive sneak peek into their latest project, turf toys! Listen along for your chance to be first in line for the toys we can't wait to get our hands on! Sign up to be an early advocate here: https://www.bulldogfieldequipment.com/toys

Building a Brand: Groundskeeper Chat with Andy Hebrard

Andy Hebrard, owner and operator of Athletic Applications joined Meg, Weston and Chris in Daytona Beach to talk about the building blocks of branding and running your own turf business. Andy was born and bred into the turf industry and follows in the footsteps of his father, Mike Hebrard. Today, Athletic Applications provides top-notch football, soccer, baseball and painting services to the PDX, LAX, PHX, LAS areas.

What's Next? Groundskeeper Chat with Meg Kruger, Weston Appelfeller and Chris Bell

Co-hosts Meg Kruger, Weston Appelfeller and Chris Bell sit down to recap their week in Daytona Beach for the National SFMA conference. The three discuss the show's highlights, trends and major takeaways.