Talking Turf

A quick note on a great opportunity this week to discuss and listen to the latest in sports turf. The Indiana Green Expo is taking place at the Indiana Convention Center on Thursday January 7. Here are some of the highlights you won’t want to miss.

• Mitch McClary, Head Groundskeeper with the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. Mitch will look back at his first year with the team, the Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, and the first year for the new Parkview Field.

• Andy Gossel, AD at Covenant Christian. Andy will detail how he hosts over 275 events on two natural grass fields. If you have not seen Andy’s fields, they are some of the best in Indiana!

• Mike Goatley, Ph.D, Virgina Tech. Dr. Goatley will talk about the latest research on bermudagrass. Can it work in Indiana?

• Cale Bigelow, Ph.D, Purdue University. Dr. Bigelow will lay out fertilizer programs for athletic fields.

• Mike Boekholder, Head Groundskeeper at Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies). Once my boss at Victory Field, Mike will share the ins and outs of the grind of his MLB season that extended through the World Series.

• And me. I will explain infield mixes for baseball and softball fields. How does the sand/silt/clay composition affect playability of your infield?

As you can see, it will be a great day to talk with others about sports turf at all levels. Go to indianagreenexpo.com for all the details.

Play on!
--Jamie