MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON
BRYAN COADY Grounds Manager St. Paul’s School • Concord, NH
Where did you go to school? What was your major? I earned my undergraduate from Franklin Pierce College in Sports and Facilities Management. After college I went to work for Plymouth State University and during this time I went back to school and earned my Master’s degree in Business Administration. How did you get your start in the sports turf industry? One of my first jobs in High School was at Yale Golf Course in New Haven, CT. This is where my interest in turf was piqued and I knew that I wanted to work in sports and learn as much as I could about the industry. Where did you go from there? After working for Plymouth State University for seven years on the facilities side, I landed a job closer to home at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH. I have been with St. Paul’s managing the campus grounds for the past eight years. What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received? Never be afraid to ask questions! I have met many great people over the past eight years that have helped me to get where I am today. When I was just getting started in the turf industry, I made many phone calls to fellow turf managers, asking their opinion
16 • New England BLADE • Winter 2023
on problems I may have been having with a field at the time. More recently, I have been able to pay it forward and give advice, sharing my expertise with friends and fellow turf managers. What’s your favorite thing about your current position/responsibilities? St. Paul’s School is a beautifully historic campus on 2,000 wooded acres. I say all the time how blessed I am that I get the chance to work with such a beautiful landscape on a daily basis. I also feel fortunate to have one of the best teams in the business who are all dedicated to providing top playing surfaces for our students. I am very supported by my boss John O’Shaughnessy, our Athletic Director Chris Smith, and my Grounds Supervisor, Joel Maccini, who works side by side with me on our Athletic Turf Field Program. Is there a recent project that you have been able to complete/implement? Over the past couple of years, we have worked with key partners to look at all aspects of our operations and dive into the turf management program. We looked at everything from changing the soil profile, seed selection, agronomic program, and data driven analysis in order for us to purchase new and better technology that has brought our fields to the next level. This has been a great experience for my team and we have been able to enhance our fields on many levels.
