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B E S T P R A C T I C E
BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP
With the opportunity to be fully involved with the brand new stadium design and its impact on the surface, Matt Bruderek also has the privilege of ensuring Inter Miami’s grounds are unrivalled...
By Geoff Webb IOG chief executive
Geoff Webb caught up with
Matt Bruderek (right), recently appointed director of turf and grounds at Inter Miami, for a chat about the American Major League Soccer club’s new stadium complex on the Miami Freedom Park, which is scheduled to be operational in 2022.
Could you outline your career and tell us what attracted you to the role at Inter Miami?
I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture & Turfgrass Management from the University of Rhode Island. While at school I enjoyed two internships on the golf side of things, but I took up my first paid position in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles, where I worked three seasons as a groundskeeper. I then moved to the University of Central Florida and spent two-and-a-half years there as assistant director of sports turf and grounds before becoming head groundskeeper at Orlando City SC. I joined Inter Miami in October 2019 and was attracted to the role because of the increased responsibility that the job presents and the challenge of building a grounds department from the ground up.
How do you go about recruiting for the support positions you need?
Firstly, I look at the applicant’s relevant experience. I want as much practical skill as possible because I believe job experience is the best teacher. A good level of education is also important – for every member of staff – but in addition I try to find people who care about their work.
Is it hard to attract people to the roles?
Yes, this is a hard and often thankless job, and not everyone can do it.
You will clearly have a high-profile venue when the stadium is built – will you have an input into the playing surface, to maximise its potential?
Yes. I am lucky to be working with great leadership; people who understand how challenging surface maintenance can be. I am fully involved with stadium design in terms of its impact on the surface, and I have been working with construction to plan the grass selection, subgrade, irrigation and lighting requirements.
How many games are planned to take place each year at the site?
We will host 40-50 matches, including Major League Soccer, United Soccer League and international games at the stadium. The remaining seven fields will be for training (for all teams) and for home games for our six academy teams. The plan is to also host American football and rugby matches, as well as other events, such as music concerts, at the stadium.
What led you to choose Latitude 36 Bermuda grass for the stadium?
I chose it because of its recovery, cold tolerance and growth habit. Although we don’t have a ‘cold’ winter, Latitude 36 grows and holds its colour year-round, with no need for overseeding. It also recovers quickly from damage and doesn’t have as much ‘tufting’, which helps with ball roll.
Have you got the desired facilities to house your plant and equipment and cater for your staff?
Yes, we have the facilities we need and, because we’ve started from scratch, I have established the equipment budget in line with the club’s expectations.
How many hours a week are you contracted to work?
We are contracted to work a 40-hour week, but due to play happening seven days a week, I expect my hours will be higher.
“I put more pressure on myself than anyone has ever put on me”
We will rotate guys so that the facility is always covered.
Do you agree that mental health and wellbeing are issues for people in the sports turf industry?
Yes. The demands of the job are stressful, and with more and more events, the level of stress increases. Having the right calibre of staff and paying them properly can reduce stress on the man in charge, as can having more family time and periods away from work with the confidence that the people on site can cope. I think a lot of the responsibility also rests with us as individuals, too. I put more pressure on myself than anyone has ever put on me. Sometimes you have to be okay with small imperfections and things you cannot control.
How would you promote the role of a sports turf manager to encourage others to enter the profession?
This is the hardest question because I believe you either do or do not have this job ‘inside’ you. However, I think one of the biggest problems is the way in which the profession is looked at from the outside. People think we mow and water and not much else. It is important that we promote the science behind what we do; the amount of skill and knowledge it takes to make the correct decisions is not easy.
If you were granted three wishes, what would you wish for?
Great health for everyone in my family; grass repair at the snap of my fingers; and no hair loss! Everything else isn’t too bad.
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