| UC’s ‘field of dreams’ joins Lambeau in claiming national recognition for 2009 |
By: By KENNETH COKER, Messenger Sports Reporter
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Posted: Thursday, November 19, 2009 4:26 pm
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Robin Francis and Chris Crockett maintain the field at War Memorial Stadium.
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The playing surface at War Memorial Stadium is a field of dreams. The Union City High School Football Field has been named as the Sports Turf Managers Association’s National Field of the Year for 2009. Union City Turf Management director Chris Crockett and foreman Robin Francis will make the trip to the annual STMA awards on Jan. 15, 2010, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., to accept the award.
According to Crockett, much of the expenses associated with the trip to the awards banquet will be covered by the STMA. Altogether, nine athletic facilities were presented with Field of the Year awards. “I just want everyone to know how hard our staff works,” said Crockett, a 1989 graduate of Obion Central. “It’s not just me and Robin out here. We’ve got seven people that care about what this field looks like and do their best to keep it up.”
On home game weeks, that staff — comprised of part-time employees and college students Kyle Hitt, Drue Barnes, Jessica McBride, Hannah Davis and Matthew Griffith — works a combined 40 hours to get the playing surface set to shine under the Friday night lights.
“In September, we played 26 games on this field and it held up,” said Crockett, pointing out the durability of the field. “We had nine pee-wee football games on the Saturday after the Huntingdon game and we had a band competition (later in the year) the morning after we got two inches of rain. “I’m surprised and pleased with the way it has held up.”
Countless fields across the nation were initially nominated for the award with the field trimmed down to 15 semifinalists and then five finalists.
The UC field is just one of two football fields honored by the organization — the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field being the other.
“That’s pretty neat to be a winner with Lambeau,” said Crockett, who is in his fifth year of overseeing the local facility. “The funny thing is we’re both bermuda grass. Bluegrass has been on a pretty good streak for a while, so that’s cool.”
Among turf managers across the nation, there is a defined divide concerning what type of grass to plant. “I’ve seen fights nearly break out over it,” Crockett laughed.
Traditionally, the South has been a bermuda grass stronghold.
An independent panel of six judges decides the National Field of the Year based on playability, the appearance of the playing surface, innovative solutions
employed, effective use of budget and the development and implementation of a comprehensive, sound agronomic program. The win for Union City marks just the second time in which a Tennessee football field (Brentwood’s Championship Field in 1998).
“The Field of the Year award validates the intense dedication of our members,” STMA chief executive officer Kim Heck said in a press release provided to The Messenger by the UC Turf
Management group. “Crockett and his staff are very deserving of this prestigious award for the field at War Memorial Stadium.” Part of the Turf Management group’s job includes the yearly top-dressing (the filling in of dead patches) of the surface as well as staying on top of keeping it painted and the grass cut.
War Memorial Stadium is not the only facility in better shape since the creation of the Turf Management department. Numerous improvements have been made to both Elam Stadium and L.H. Ladd Field.
Additionally, the Union City Minor League Field was completely refurbished in 2008.
“It comes down to us wanting to have the best looking and playing fields in the country,” Crockett said.
Sports reporter Kenneth Coker can be contacted by e-mail at kcoker@ucmessenger.com. |
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