Planning for a Great 2020!

What does 2020 have in store for those of us who work in New England’s sports turf industry? Of course, we are hoping for not too much snow and a dry spring to get baseball games in, but what about some things we may overlook this winter?

Being organized and planning ahead makes you a better turf manager and a better professional. Are you up-to-date on your record keeping and budgets? Did you keep track of all of your fertilizer and pesticide applications in 2019? Have you checked in with your peers at industry-related educational events?

Is your staff current with their licenses including pesticide applicators, hydraulics, and CDL? Investing in proper licensure and recertification highlights the importance of safety and brings everyone into compliance.

Did you take the opportunity for continuing education with your staff during downtime over the winter? There are so many topics that can be talked about: from First Aid and CPR to equipment operation and agronomics. Ongoing training is important for everyone’s safety and may help your team understand why you are doing things a certain way. Take 10 minutes to watch a YouTube training video, have a white board discussion, or gather around a piece of equipment and talk about safe operations.

Leadership comes in many forms — teaching, training, and educating — and all combine to help us be the best professionals we can in 2020!

Ben Polimer

NESTMA President