FROM THE TVSTMA PRESIDENT
Byran Farris, CSFM
“EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS TURF” AWARD
T
VSTMA is going to be using this column a little bit differently. This year we have established an “Excellence in Sports Turf ” award to recognize the efforts of sports turf managers in the region who maintain high quality athletic field surfaces. Our first recipient of this award is Dustin Wilson, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach of Springfield High School in Springfield, TN.
Tell us about yourself and the turfgrass you manage. I am currently the AD and Head Football Coach at Springfield High School. This is my 17th year in education as a business teacher, coach, and athletic director. I was raised in Robertson County. I grew up in the hay and tobacco fields on a family farm. I am now proudly working at the school which I graduated from in 1998. In 2017, our on-campus stadium was built. The surface was installed by Ryan Moriarty with SportsTurf and provided by Tri-Turf Sod in Paris, TN. We have a practice field as well. I continue to use it as a “farm” for repair, but it receives but much more traffic being a practice field.
10
What led you to turfgrass management? Athletics/coaching. I have been involved with sports my whole life. I can remember every uniform I have ever worn. I can remember every field I played on. I want people to remember Springfield Football when they visit. Whether in person, clips in the paper, on social media or on a TV broadcast, everyone is looking at the field. I want it to be the best. With those desires and the lack of resources we have in public education and education-based sports specifically, I had to learn a lot. I had to lean on a lot of experts. I raised tobacco, corn, hay, tomatoes, so now I had to learn about grass.
What is most rewarding about the position? Hearing and/or seeing our boys/players treat it like the staff does. The comments, the identity, the pride they have in the field. It spreads in the community. Not to the degree of spreading that I strive for, but the boys take pride in it and is enjoyable.
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS APRIL / MAY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org
