Groundskeeper Chats

What started as a volunteer gig fixing one infield spiraled into Andy Ommen finding a passion for sports turf that would lead him to become a respected name in the industry. Today, Andy is a member of the Professional Outdoor Solutions team in Illinois with the mission of improving athletic playing surfaces, "from the ground up." We caught up with Andy after his 2022 SFMA education session to recap the highlights from his talk.

For more Groundskeeper Chat content visit: https://pioneerathletics.com/blog/groundskeeper-chats

For the second time, we invite #WomenInTurf to share their experiences in hopes to advocate for more women in our industry!

For more #WomenInTurf content visit: https://pioneerathletics.com/women-in-turf

More to come Summer 2022, stay tuned!

Head groundskeeper for the Reno Aces, Leah Withrow joins the chat to talk about her recent field renovation and her upcoming schedule of events. Tune in for Leah's turf tips on how to successfully manage a renovation and the events that inevitably follow. 

Texas A&M's Chase Straw joins us for his second #GroundskeeperChat appearance to talk about his department's performance testing research and the role performance testing will play in a turfgrass manager's role going forward. 

Kelly Lynch, @PureSeed_Chick, joined us for an insightful conversation into her turf story and all the exciting things to come for #WomeninTurf.

Boyd Montgomery of the The Toro Company joins Meg to chat about all the skills groundskeepers need in the industry today, including being business savvy.

Mercedes Benz Stadium head groundskeeper and conversions manager, Nick Pappas joins us for a groundskeeper chat to talk field conversions. Pappas walks us through a MLS to NFL conversion and talks about the importance of crew culture when high pressure gigs require long hours and difficult challenges. 

Groundskeepers Eric Stoup (University of Maine) and Ben Leach (Sports Turf Specialties) join Meg down in Savannah for a live groundskeeper chat recording.  

Members from our 2022 class join Meg down in Savannah, GA to talk turf and record a live panel discussion during the 2022 SFMA conference. 

Arizona State University's Brian Johnson joins us for a Groundskeeper Chat to reflect on his 37 years with ASU and what he will miss the most once he retires this Spring.