MPSFMA NEWS - SPRING 2026

NEWS Volume 16, No. 2

MARSHALL SYVERTSEN MPSFMA PRESIDENT

Spring 2026

TRENTON WATERS

MPSFMA PAST PRESIDENT

MARSHALL SYVERTSEN IS THE NEW MPSFMA PRESIDENT TAKING OVER FOR TRENTON WATERS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Marshall Syvertsen MPSFMA President City of Edina Good day MPSFMA members. My name is Marshall Syvertsen, I work for the City of Edina and now am honored to be the new President of MPSFMA. Hats off to Past President Trenton Waters for guiding the Association to record numbers at our Workshops, organizing a field day at Target Field, a tour of US Bank Stadium and into a partnership with the Minnesota Twins and The Toro Co. for past and future Community Service Projects. I will do my best to assist the Board in providing quality events during my tenure for the next couple of years.

JULY 1 UMN TURFGRASS EXTENSION | MPSFMA FIELD DAY TROE CENTER | FALCON HEIGHTS JULY 15 DEMO DAY WOODBURY AUGUST 11 NORTHERN GREEN OUTDOORS ALDRICH ARENA | MAPLEWOOD

* * * * The UMN|MPSFMA Field Day is set for Wednesday, July 1 at TROE Center in Falcon Heights. This is a free event but pre-registration is necessary for an accurate lunch count. If you haven’t been to a Field Day at TROE Center, make the time to check it out and see the various turf research plots and learn what’s happening from the University of Minnesota Turfgrass Extension group.

AUGUST 20 MPSFMA GOLF TOURNAMENT OAK GLEN GOLF COURSE | STILLWATER

* * * * The City of Woodbury will host this year’s MPSFMA Demo Day on Wednesday, July 15 at the M Health Fairview Sports Center on Radio Drive.

This is also a free event for members and co-workers but pre-registration is required for the provided lunch. This is a good opportunity to check out the latest and greatest equipment that our Vendor members are offering.

NOVEMBER 18 MPSFMA FALL WORKSHOP BRACKETT’S CROSSING CC | LAKEVILLE

* * * * The Northern Green Outdoors will be held on August 11th at Aldrich Arena and Grounds in Maplewood. This is an outdoor Demo/Trade Show with speakers/education going on in the hockey rink. Go to northerngreen.org to register and more info. * * * * The annual MPSFMA Golf Tournament will now focus on becoming a fundraiser for the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation. The tournament remains as a 4-person scramble but green fees and sponsorship fees have been raised slightly in hopes to add to the $5,000 that MPSFMA already earmarks for the University of Minnesota Turfgrass Extension Group who are doing great things for our association at the University. * * * * The MPSFMA plans to partner with the Minnesota Twins and The Toro Co. for another Community Service Project in September. A site and an exact date are still being determined. * * * * Plans are being made for the November 18th Fall Workshop at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club in Lakeville. A complete Agenda will be available in early July. * * * * The Green Industry Bowling Fundraiser is set for December 3rd at Flaherty’s Arden Bowl in Arden Hills. All caliber bowlers are welcome to participate in this annual fundraiser for Turf Scholarships at the University of Minnesota| Twin Cities and University of Minnesota|Crookston. Close to $10,000 has been offered to students the past four years through this event. * * * * Registration for all events are available online at mpsfma.org and I hope to see you at the ones you can make throughout the year.

Sincerely,

Marshall Syvertsen

Marshall Syvertsen President Minnesota Park and Sports Field Management Association

SPRING 2026

SEPTEMBER COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT TBD

DECEMBER 3 GREEN INDUSTRY BOWLING FUNDRAISER FLAHERTYS ARDEN BOWL | ARDEN HILLS JANUARY 19-21 NORTHERN GREEN RIVERCENTRE | SAINT PAUL

2026 MPSFMA NEWS ADVERTISERS 2 Site One Landscape Supply 4 Ramy Turf Products 7 Musson Landscaping 9 Heritage PPG 10 Frost Inc. 11 Magic Turf 13 Reinders, Inc. 14 Eco Works Supply 15 AminOrganix 17 TinyMobileRobots 18 The Tessman Company 19 Minnesota Sodding Company 20 Field Turf 21 Turfco Manufacturing, Inc. 22 MTI Distributing Inc. 23 Pioneer Athletics 24 Midwest Groundcover 26 St. Croix Recreation Fun Playgrounds 27 Minnesota Equipment 28 Van Wall Equipment 29 Hartman Companies 30 Portolite 32 Cushman Motor Co. 33 Covermaster MPSFMA NEWS 3

MANAGED TURF SOLUTIONS

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SCENES FROM THE SPRING WORKSHOP The 2026 MPSFMA Spring Workshop was held on March 5th at the University of Northwestern|Saint Paul.

The event had 232 pre-registrants. As always, the MPSFMA Board’s effort put up another great set of speakers. Special thanks to our Coffee, Pastries and Lunch Sponsors: PBI Gordon, Inc., St. Croix Recreation Fun Playgrounds, Midwest Groundcover Express Blower Service, Pioneer Athletics, Portolite Products as well as all of our other sponsors who were on hand with tabletop displays.

The MPSFMA also thanks hosts Jeff Hintz and Nate Williamson and others at UNWSP for the use of the venue, tour of the fields, being organized and a great, hot lunch!

Keynote Speaker Jeremiah Carter is the Executive Associate AD, NIL and Risk Management at the University of Minnesota Athletic Department. Carter has worked fulltime at the U for more than 12 years. Carter is responsible for identifying and managing issues related to emerging structural changes within collegiate athletics for the University of Minnesota. These responsibilities include managing the University’s Name, Image and Likeness activities, aadherence to University Policies, and governance. His talk about the NIL was very interesting as were a lot of the answers to questions from attendees.

Ellie Sammon, Canopy Business Law, focused on material designed specifically for parks, municipal, and school employees, this seminar walks through the estate planning issues that matter most, like last wills, pensions, beneficiary designations, and making sure your family is protected. It was a practical, easy-to-understand discussion focused on real-life questions without the legal jargon.

Troy Carson, The Toro Company, spoke about new technologies in irrigation.

Paul Miskimen, City of Lakeville, along with Ben Boeding, Reinders, Inc., gave a presentation noting that new technologies are not always the easy button.

Paul Miskimen, City of Lakeville Along with Ben Boeding, CSFM, Reinders Inc., the duo’s presentation noted that new technologies are not always the easy button.

WINTER 2026

Ellie Sammon, Canopy Business Law Easy to Understand Discussion about Wills, Pensions and more.

Keynote Speaker: Jeremiah Carter University of Minnesota Athletic Department | NIL Focus

Troy Carson, The Toro Company Spoke about new technologies in irrigation.

MPSFMA NEWS 5

Steve Van Natta, Hartman Companies, Inc.

Justin Crandall, Midwest Groundcover Express Blower Service

Geoff Jordan, Ramy Turf Products

Mike Benson, Cushman Motor Co.

Tom Proshek, MOR Golf & Utility, Inc.

Doug Daniel, Eco Works Supply

6 MPSFMA NEWS

SPRING 2026

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MTI Distributing, Inc. From the right: Bob Frank, Larry Gorman and Steve Scanlan

Tom O’Hern, Pioneer Athletics MPSFMA Commercial Member Representative

Kent Harris, Minnesota Sodding Company (MSC) Pictured on the right is MTGF Treasurer Tom Redmann

Doug Mark, Versare Modular Flooring

8 MPSFMA NEWS

Peter DeVries, TinyMobileRobots

SPRING 2026

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UMN | MPSFMA FIELD DAY | JULY 1 The annual UMN | MPSFMA Field Day will take place on Wed., July 1 at TROE Center in Falcon Heights.

The University of Minnesota TROE Center (Turfgrass Research, Outreach and Education) is a 12-acre facility located on the UMN Saint Paul campus in Falcon Heights focusing on sustainable turfgrass research, including drought tolerance and low-input management. It is a premier site for cold-climate turf studies, featuring both sand-based and native soil rootzones. This Field Day is focused for those taking care of sports fields and parks.

Field Day topics include: What did last fall and winter mean for turf this spring? Dormant seeding success with and without weed control; plant-based quick release fertilizer sources, weed gaps in 3- and 4-way selective herbicide products, and the effect of crabgrass growth stage on post-emergent success. Also being discussed will be what was learned about seed mixture compo-

GOLF & TURF

SPR

M S AY

R E T AR

Dr. Dominic Petrella is the newest member of the University of Minnesota Turfgrass Science group. Petrella recently joined as Assistant Professor of Managed Turfgrass Systems in the Department of Horticultural Science.

sition and soil moisture sensors for limiting water use in parks and grounds. The UMN group will answer any questions that concern your particular situation.

Check-in will take place from 9:30-9:50 am, with opening remarks beginning at 10:00 am.

The address is 2037 Larpenteur Ave W, Falcon Heights, MN 55113. You access the center by heading north on the gravel road just to the west of the Falcon Heights City Hall.

Any questions about UMN Field Day can be directed to Dr. Dominic Petrella dpetrell@umn.edu or Dr. Jon Trappe at jtrappe@umn.edu Lunch will be provided at the July 1 UMN Field Day at TROE Center (pictured below). This is a free event for MPSFMA members and co-workers, however, registration is required so we have an accurate lunch count.

ICE CONTROL 10 MPSFMA NEWS

SPRING 2026

MPSFMA DEMO DAY | JULY 15 M Health Fairview Sports Center | Woodbury The 2026 MPSFMA Demo Day is set for Wednesday, July 15th at M Health Fairview Sports Center located at 4133 Radio Drive in Woodbury. The event will take place from 9am - 1pm.

The 4133 Radio Drive address is to the Red Building in the graph below. It shows up on “Maps’ on the far west side of the complex. Visitors must enter the complex from the Bailey Road/Pioneer Drive intersection, drive south to the first roundabout, and then go ¾ of the way around the roundabout to head east into the Red parking lot. Signs will be placed on the day of the event.

Notables at Demo Day include: 1) Information about the Irrigation being installed on the

grounds by Peterson Companies.

2) In the area, ongoing multi-year construction of our new (very expensive) water treatment plant (will have some fun statistics about that) 3) In the area, installation of 17 miles of new watermain to accommodate the water treatment plant operations (will have some fun statistics about that) This is a free event to attend for members and coworkers with a free lunch included. Commercial members have an opportunity to display and demo equipment outdoors.

Go to www.mpsfma.org to register if you want lunch.

Last year’s exhibiting companies shown below.

The 4133 Radio Drive address is to the Red Building. It shows up on “Maps’ on the far west side of the complex. Visitors must enter the complex from the Bailey Road/Pioneer Drive intersection, drive south to the first roundabout, and then go ¾ of the way around the roundabout to head east into the Red parking lot. Signs will be placed on the day of the event.

12 MPSFMA NEWS

SPRING 2026

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Shop These Products and More!

• Grass Seed

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612-790-7333 jchurchill@reinders.com

612@reinders.com

Tim Rainey @reinders.com

Check out our website with over 20,000 products from the industry's top brands.

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NORTHERN GREEN OUTDOORS | AUGUST 11 The 2026 Northern Green Outdoors will take place on August 11th at Aldrich Arena and Grounds. The event is located at 1850 White Bear Avenue in Maplewood. There is ample parking onsite.

The event will take place rain or

shine so dress for the elements and also to participate in hands-on activities and to visit active job sites. Attendess will have the opportunity to test drive vendor equipment on turf and asphalt tracks. Check in begins at 8am for the outdoors event. Lunch is provided. The event lasts until 2:30pm. The NGO provides interactive, hands-on education.

Go to northerngreen.org for more information or to register.

ECO WORKS SUPPLY Supp ppli lier er of Org rganic and Natural Pro rodu ducts to the Turf Indu dustry Also Supplying: w Ice Melt w Robotic Painters w Granular Fertilizer w Liquid Fertilizer w Soil Amendments w Crew Clothing w Compost & Mulch w Grass Seed wTerraMax (Tazo B) Products w Maintenance Chemicals w Turf Marking Paints w Synthetic Turf w Athletic Field Covers w Netting w Pitching Mounds w Batting Mats w Pitching Machines w Sports Accessories

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14 MPSFMA NEWS

SPRING 2026

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COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT APPLICATION Does Your Baseball/Softball/Soccer/Football Field or Playground Need to be Renovated?

The Minnesota Park and Sports Turf Managers Association has the answers! We will select a field from entries submitted and provide the labor for the renovation project. Some materials will be donated or provided at a reduced cost. Volunteers from your organization will be needed to perform the renovation project as well as to care for the field after the renovations are complete.

POSSIBLE RENOVATION IDEAS + Seeding + Sodding + Topdressing + Aerifying + Mounds + Homeplate + Skinned Areas + Irrigation Repair + Grass Areas + Field Layout ENTER YOUR FIELD BY COMPLETING THE FORM BELOW

p IS APRIL APPLICATION DEADLINE 2023 JUNE 1, 2026 DEADLINE TO 15, APPLY

Organization: _______________________________________________________________________ Name of Field: ______________________________________________________________________ Address of Field: ____________________________________________________________________ User groups (numbers, ages, sports) _____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ What do you want done to your field? ____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Why is the project needed? Safety issues? Field issues? _____________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Who will do the regular maintenance after completion? _______________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ What is the window of time for renovation? ________________________________________________ What is the field's history? (age, maintenance, irrigation, uniqueness, etc.) _______________________ Contact info of person doing current maintenance: Field Maintenance Contact: ____________________________________________________________ CellPhone: ______________________________Email: _____________________________________ MPSTMA Member Sponsor (not mandatory for submission) _________________________________

TO APPLY: Print and complete this application and mail with photos to: MPSFMA, P. O. BOX 617, WAYZATA, MN 55391 or apply online at: www.mpsfma.org 16 MPSFMA NEWS

SPRING 2026

MINNESOTA TURF AND GROUNDS FOUNDATION DONATES $91,200 FOR 2026 RESEARCH

The Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation (MTGF) as generously donated $91,200 towards research directly impacting the Minnesota Park and Sports Field Management Association (MPSFMA) in a good way.

MTGF is able to generate funding dollars through a few avenues, but the majority of the dollars the MTGF awards towards turf and grounds research comes from the partnership between the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) and the MTGF in the form of the Northern Green held each January currently at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. Participation from the seven allied associations and vendor members has been the backbone to the awarding of turf and grounds research grants over the past twenty years. To date, your participation in The Northern Green has generated $2,111,991 towards turf and grounds research. Think about that dollar amount and all you had to do was participate in continuing education and walk the Trade Show floor a day or two at the annual Northern Green.

During March of each year, after the Northern Green has ended, the MTGF meets to go over research proposals that have been submitted and this is when we are able to award dollars to many of these proposals and researchers. Here is a breakdown of where the money has gone.The MTGF and MNLA have created an outdoor event callend the Northern Green Outdoors (NGO) which will be

held on August 11th in Maplewood. The NGOwill offer education and an outdoor demo/trade show.hree separate groups were gifted various amounts of funds.

The recipient groups are: 1) Dr. Kristina Walker, University of Minnesota|Crookston, requested support funding for the University of Minnesota|Crookston Golf and Sports Turf Management Program. MTGF Gift: $10,000.

2) Dr. Jon Trappe, Dr. Dominic Petrella and Dr. Eric Watkins of the University of Minnesota Turfgrass Extension, requested continued support for the UMN Turfgrass Research Program Support and continued Operations at TROE Center. MTGF Gift: $50,000.

3) Ryan Murphy, UMN Dept. of Forest Resources and Ben Held, UMN Dept. of Plant Pathology supporting research on the potential of non-native elm species in Minnesota with a primary goal of development of Dutch elm disease (DED)-resistant American, rock, and red elms, certain non-native elm selections have demonstrated strong resistance to DED. On the Forestry side, youth engagement continues to grow with the help of MTGF funds which go towards new climbing equipment each year for safety reasons. MTGF Gift: $27,200.

Make plans to attend the January 19-21, 2027 Northern Green at the Saint Paul RiverCentre!

(Continued on Page 20)

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CONSIDER AN IMPACTFUL DONATION SUPPORTING THE MTGF MISSION

Turf and grounds professionals in Minnesota and beyond have benefited greatly from innovative research funded by the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation.

Since 2001, we have donated over $2.1 million to the University of Minnesota (that’s about $90,000 per year for more than 20 years!). This funding has helped build strong applied research programs focused on turf and landscape management. The ongoing support from the MTGF has given these research programs a foundation from which to seek larger grants that generate new approaches to landscape management that help sustain our industry.

To continue our important role in support of turf and grounds research, we are asking for donations from individual MTGF members. In a normal year, you would’ve con-

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tributed to our efforts by attending the Northern Green, where you would have learned from leading horticultural educators, visited with vendors on the impressive trade show floor, and networked with your fellow green industry professionals. This year, you can have a positive impact by making a donation to help the MTGF continue our mission of funding research, outreach, and education for the turf and grounds professionals.

We hope you see this as an investment, one that will bring great returns in the form of new knowledge, more sustainable practices, and forward-looking approaches to maintain green spaces.If you are a member of one of seven allied associations, you automatically are considered member of the MTGF. MTGF has no membership fees associ ated with being a member or vendor member. However, you receive the full benefits through the mission of the MTGF. The MTGF Board is made up of two individuals from each of the seven allied associations plus two vendor members.

The seven MTGF allied associations are: + Minnesota Association of Cemeteries + Minnesota Educational Facilities Management Professionals + Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents' Association + Minnesota Park and Sports Field Management Association + Minnesota Society of Arboriculture + Minnesota Sod Producers + Minnesota Turf Seed Council

Funding provided by the MTGF through your participation has been able to leverage millions of more dollars for turf and grounds research. The ramification was felt when the MTGF had to decide to put a hold on research grant funding for 2021 in hopes that we can return to normal in time for the 2022 funding season. Your attendance at the 2024 Northern Green helps is key. The Green Industry as a whole has been rewarded year after year through the research dollars granted by the MTGF and we are now asking for extra help to be able to continue this same success.

Go to the MTGF website (www.mtgf.org/donations) where you can find additional information on how you can donate to additional turf and grounds research.

The 2027 Northern Green is set for January 19-21 at the Saint Paul RiverCenter. To register or for more information, go to www.northerngreen.org.

(Continued on Page 21)

20 MPSFMA NEWS

SPRING 2026

MTGF TOTAL DONATIONS: $2,111,991 MINNESOTA TURF & GROUNDS FOUNDATION FUNDING 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 RESEARCH DOLLARS FROM 2001-2002 TURFGRASS SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM SUPPORT 50,000 45,000 45,000 35,000 45,000 50,000 65,000 65,000 60,000 60,000 70,000 50,000 50,000 TROE CENTER OPERATIONS TROE CENTER BUILDING PRE-DESIGN DR. ERIC WATKINS RESEARCH BRAD PEDERSEN LANDSCAPE PROGRAM UM FOREST RESOURCES AND PLANT PATHOLOGY PROGRAMS 50,000 DR. GILlMAN TREE RESEARCH / DUTCH ELM DISEASE DUTCH ELM DISEASE / ELM RESISTANCE MECHANISMS 49,715 60,000 30,000 20,000 20,000 15,000 BEN HELD | DUTCH ELM DISEASES SUPPORT 16,200 15,000 9,500 7,500 5,700 UM YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN ARBORICULTURE 15,000 12,500 9,500 7,500 9,300 7,250 UM CONSERVATION 9,975 UM ELM SELECTION 6,250 UM PRUNING 5,500 UM ESP RESEARCH 5,500 BOB MUGAAS / UMORE PARK TECHNICIAN ARBORETUM TURF & GROUNDS RESEARCH UM HELP LINE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY NATIONAL TURF RESEARCH INSTITUTE GRABOWSKI / MALVICK WHITE MOLD RESEARCH 3,540 DR. JUZWICK OAK WILT STUDY 10,000 3,250 DR. WALKER MINERALIZABLE NITROGEN STUDY 10,000 10,000 5,000 5,000 DR. KRISTINA WALKER | UMN CROOKSTON 10,000 10,000 6,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 SAM BAUER CONVERSION TO LOW-INPUT TURFGRASS 4,000 BAUER & ORSHINSKY PLANT DEFENSE 4,000 MARY MEYER 10 PLANTS THAT CHANGED MINNESOTA 5,000 UM FELLOWSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND 15,000 ORSHINSKY PATHOLOGIST POSITION 10,000 10,000 10,000 TREE TRUST - GRAVEL BEDS 10,000 TREE TRUST - GREEN TEENS 15,000 OTHER

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

50,000 47,000 37,114 60,500

2007

2006

2005

20,000 20,000 20,000 9,625 10,000 10,000 25,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 11,000 17,000

2,750 4,077 13,000 15,000 12,000 15,000 10,000 26,000 10,415 7,400 10,000 10,000

3,500 900

3,500

2,000

3,000 15,733 10,518 500

500

2,000 2,000 3,000

15,000 15,000 15,000 65,000

1,198

TOTALS 91,200 82,500 70,000 50,000 65,000 100,000 106,250 134,715 120,000 120,000 110,000 89,000 110,790 85,000 76,000 71,014 138,000 38,113 75,508 89,095 118,500

TOTAL DOLLARS SINCE 2001 = $2,111,991

SPRING 2026

MPSFMA NEWS 21

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MPSFMA GOLF FUNDRAISER | AUGUST 20 In an effort to continue to support the mission of the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation, the MPSFMA is turning its annual golf tournament into a fundraiser for turf and grounds research at the University of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota|Crookston.

At this time, the MPSFMA has made a commitment to donate $5,000 to the UMN Turfgrass Research Group but the MPSFMA Board would like to see that grow as the research being done is a direct benefit to members of the MPSFMA. Green fees and sponsorships will be raised. A green fee will be $100 per individual, $400 per foursome. Golf sponsorships will be $200.

The tournament itself is a fun, 4-person Scramble. The winners seem to get to about 13under par. The City of Coon Rapids has won the event the past three years!

This year’s fundraiser will be held at Oak Glen Golf Course in Stillwater which is the same site as the past two years. The MPSFMA golf committee is open to suggestions on new golf courses in the future. The group seemed to like Oak Glen but we want to keep the golf event fresh for the coming years.

Oak Glen Golf Course, Stillwater, is a fairly short, beautiful, challenging golf course. Oak Glen has proved to be a nice venue to host the annual MPSFMA | MTGF Golf Fundraiser.

YOUR PARTNER FOR SPORTS FIELDS & ATHLETIC FACILITIES Field Marking Paints & Equipment | Sports Accessories Turf Maintenance | Infield Maintenance | Stencils | Windscreens | Protective Padding | Facility Disinfection

SPRING 2026

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MPSFMA NEWS 23

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SPORTS FIELD MANAGER OF THE YEAR APPLICATION

Sports Field Manager of the Year - Award Application PURPOSE To recognize a Sports Field Manager for their professional ability and contribution to the sports field industry in Minnesota. To show gratitude to an individual for their efforts in leading the sports field industry into the future by creating safe, quality fields for athletes of all ages. The Minnesota Parks and Sports Field Managers Association wishes to promote excellence in management of sports fields for the citizens and athletes of Minnesota.

CRITERIA •Involved in a management role in the sports field industry •Engaged in regular professional development activities •Level of contribution by the field manager to the sports turf industry •Displays outstanding performance in any one of several key categories, suggested but not limited to:  Community contribution and outreach  Commitment to professional development  Environmental stewardship  Health and safety  Project management  Workplace improvements  Other •Previous recipients may re-apply if all requirements are met DIRECTIONS Please type or print clearly all information requested below. In addition to this award application, each nomination must be accompanied with a minimum of five (5) digital photos of the field/facility, summary of maintenance practices, and number of grounds employees.

NOMINATION FORM Name of Nominee: Name of Nominee’s school, park district, or agency: Address:

City:

Phone # of Nominee:

State:

Zip:

Email:

Your relationship to Nominee: Name of Newspaper(s) to send press release: Please provide a letter(s) of recommendation/explanation on why this individual should be recognized as MPSFMA Sports Field Manager of the Year. Supplementary information detailing the way the nominee meets the criteria and the particulars of why the nominee should be considered for the Sports Field Manager of the Year Award.

I certify that the information in these nomination papers is true, current and complete. I understand that nomination materials may be used for publication in the MPSFMA News Magazine, website, and at the Annual Meeting.

Name of Nominator (Please Print)

Signature of Nominator

Position of Nominator

Phone Number of Nominator

Email to: NickWilz@heritageppg.com or call Nick Wilz with questions at (612) 719-7680 SPRING 2026

MPSFMA NEWS 25

Play is the Beginning Of something wonderful, vibrant and unique. It teaches us and challenges us to be better. It connects us – to ourselves, each other and to our communities. With play as the beginning, anything is possible.

Join Our Movement at funplaygrounds.com

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© BCI Burke Company 2023

CONSIDERING A SPORTS FIELD MANAGEMENT CAREER? Managing sports fields as a career is a rewarding and significant occupation. Join a profession that is growing and will endure as long as there are sports!

This is an ideal career if you: s Enjoy the outdoors s Are involved in sports and want to stay involved s Consider yourself a sports fan s Want to use emerging technology such as drones, GPS, robotic equipment, and hi-tech turf apps s Care about protecting the environment s Interested in the art and science of creating and maintaining beautiful and safe fields for athletes s High School, Vo-Tech or University education programs in agriculture, landscaping design or maintenance

assistant is $44,000.

MPSFMA The Minnesota Park and Sports Field Management Association is an affiliated chapter of the national professional association, Sports Field Management Association (SFMA). Its more than 2,700 national members oversee facilities at schools, colleges and universities, parks and recreational facilities, and professional sports stadiums. Sports include football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, softball, rugby and horse racing. SportsfieldManagement.org; @FieldExperts

How to Pursue s Traditional education s Attend a 2-year or 4-year collegiate program majoring in turfgrass management s Non-traditional: s Take SFMA 101 on-line FREE Certificate Course (just need to be a student member at $30). Go to sportsfieldmanagement.org. Students have one year to complete the course; some students finish it in one week!

Each student who completes the course will receive a certificate of course completion. Achieving the certificate will prepare you to start a career at a sports field. s Local College or University online Certification in Sports Field Management. s Online Certification at non-local College or University. s Apprentice at a sports field.

Job Outlook There are more than 50 million acres of turfgrass in the United States, and the green industry is projected to be a $147 billion dollar industry. The environmental horticulture industry, which includes the turfgrass industry, is one of the fastest growing segments of the nation’s agricultural economy with an estimated 1,964,339 jobs. It is estimated that there are more than 1 million sports fields in the United States. With more than 300 professional facilities, 3,500 colleges & universities, 7,800 parks and recreation districts, and 20,000+ school districts, jobs in the sports field management profession are abundant.

The average starting salary for a first

SPRING 2026

MPSFMA NEWS 27

MPSFMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

Marshall Syvertsen, City of Edina VICE PRESIDENT

Nate Williamson, University of Northwestern | St. Paul 2ND VICE PRESIDENT

Justin Holmberg, SPA & Summit School

GENERAL MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES

Kyle Johnson, ISD #622 | North Saint Paul Kyle Larson, Minnesota Vikings COMMERCIAL MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES

Nick Wilz, Heritage PPG Tom O'Hern, Pioneer Athletics MTGF REPRESENTATIVES

PAST PRESIDENT

Trenton Waters, MSC

Jason Goehring, City of Plymouth Ben Boeding CSFM, Reinders, Inc.

TREASURER

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Roger Weinbrenner CSFM, MSC

Jeff Turtinen

UMN | MPSFMA

FIELD DAY @ TROE CENTER

JULY 1 FALCON HEIGHTS UMN ST. PAUL CAMPUS FREE EVENT - LUNCH PROVIDED PRE-REGISTER ONLINE MPSFMA.ORG SPRING 2026

MPSFMA NEWS 29

M E T S Y S S D E S L N E E I F LONGER EF

R LAY P U | O IRS A Y P RE T E C C DU E E R | T E G O RA R E V O P ULL C D D L FI E

F

(800) 315-8116 | PORTOLITE.COM | INFO@PORTOLITE.COM

TURFCO|MPSFMA FIELD OF THE YEAR APPLICATION CRITERIA

2026

+ Active Member of MPSFMA + Located in the State of Minnesota. + Resourcefulness of staff, budget, maintenance practices, challenges in management of field. + Condition and aesthetics of the athletic field. + Number and type of games and/or events. + Previous recipients may re-apply if all requirements/applications are met.

Information Requested (use additional sheet if necessary)

PAST FIELD OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS 2025 Toni Stone Field Saint Paul 2024 Saint Francis Softball Field Saint Francis 2023 Sand Creek Athletic Complex Coon Rapids 2022 Johnson Park New Ulm 2021 Round Lake Stadium Eden Prairie 2019 HealthEast Sports Complex Woodbury 2018 Memorial Field Northfield 2017 Mayo Field Rochester 2016 CHS Field Saint Paul 2015 Koch Diamond - N Athletic Field Saint Paul 2014 Steve Michaud Park Lakeville 2013 Blakeslee Stadium Mankato 2012 NSC Stadium Field Blaine 2011 Noble Sport Park Athletic Complex Brooklyn Park 2010 Palm Field Saint Anthony

+ School, Park District or Agency owning this Field: + Name of Field / Complex: + Street Address: + Age of Field: + Type of Field (Baseball, Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, etc.): + Natural Grass or Synthetic Turf? + Size of Field in acres: + Overall Maintenance Acreage: + Annual Maintenance Budget for this Field: + Number of full time staff employed to maintain field: + Number of seasonal staff employed to maintain field: + What type of irrigation? __ Automatic __ Manual __ Both __ None + Does your field have sports lighting? + Type of equipment used to maintain your field: + Type of maintenance program you employ (fertilization, aeration, topdressing, seeding, etc.): + How many months or days of the year is your field used? + Number of games played on your field or throughout your facility: + Besides sports, what other type of events are held on your field? + What special maintenance challenges have you encountered? + Why do you think your field is one of the best?

Signature: ____________________________________________ ___________ Date: ______________________ Note: Typing in Signature is accepted. I certify that the information on this form and in the accompanying entry is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that no material will be returned and may be used for publication and promotional purposes.

Send completed entries and photos to: MPSFMA, P.O. Box 617, Wayzata, MN 55391 Or email to: jeff.turtinen@mpsfma.org

SPRING 2026

www.mpsfma.org

MPSFMA NEWS 31

VERSATILITY THAT WORKS We offer new Ventrac tractors and attachments, used equipment, OEM parts, and factory trained service.

We feature Mean Green electric mowers.

Shop our commercial grade, full range that can mow all day on a single charge.

WANT A DEMO? Call us at 612-333-3487 Cushman Motor Company | www.cushmanmotorco.com 2306 N Washington Ave | Minneapolis, MN | (612) 333-3487 | 1-800-759-5343

2026 MPSFMA VENDORS

SPRING 2026

MPSFMA NEWS 33

SAVE THE DATES NORTHERN GREEN JANUARY 19-21, 2027

SFMA CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION FEBRUARY 1-4, 2027

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