STMA is committed to strengthening the sports turf industry and enhancing members' competence by providing applicable information on how to manage athletic surfaces. The STMA Information Outreach Committee works hard to produce educational bulletins that provide tips and advice for how to best manage your natural turfgrass athletic surfaces. Topics range from health and safety to cultural practices to construction and renovation.

Resources from STMA to help manage your fields

STMA is committed to strengthening the sports turf industry and enhancing members’ competence by providing applicable information on how to manage athletic surfaces.  The STMA Information Outreach Committee works hard to produce educational bulletins that provide tips and advice for how to best manage your natural turfgrass athletic surfaces.  Topics range from health and safety to cultural practices to construction and renovation – all aim to assist in promoting and maintaining the health and playability of natural turfgrass surfaces.



Check out the Members-Only side of the STMA.org to access any of the following resources.


 


Seasonal field maintenance calendars that detail management practices throughout the year:
Annual Athletic Field Maintenance Calendar for Cool Season Turfgrasses
Annual Athletic Field Maintenance Calendar for Warm Season Turfgrasses
Annual Athletic Field Maintenance Calendar for the Transition Zone


Resources on cool and warm season turfgrass species commonly used for athletic turf:


Kentucky bluegrass
Annual bluegrass
Perennial ryegrass
Tall Fescue


Bermudagrass


Cultural practices that keep your field in good health:


Fertilization:


Understanding Soil Tests
Plant and Environmental Responses to the Essential Nutrients
Quick Release Nitrogen
Slow Release Nitrogen


Irrigation:


Rootzone Construction
Water Availability
Water Tables
Amount and Frequency for Irrigation Application
Irrigation Systems
Effective Water Use


Drainage:


Drainage Solutions
Best Management Practices to Reduce Stormwater Runoff and Pollution at your Sports Facility
Flooding on Sports Fields
Drainage – A Crucial Component for Athletic Field Performance
Part One: Surface Drainage
Part Two: Internal Drainage
Part Three: Subsurface Installed Drainage Systems


Guidelines for general field management that will help in maintaining healthy, safe athletic surfaces:


Sports Field Management Practices – Athletic Field Management in the Spring
Sports Field Management Practices – Preparing a Field for Winter
Field Management During a Drought
2012 Heat and Drought Stress Effects on Sports Turf Management
Football Practice Techniques that Help Minimize Field Wear
Strategies for Managing Heavily-Used Fields
Thatch Management
Sprigging Bermudagrass
Sports Field Painting Tips
Snow Removal
How to Control Moles and Reduce Turfgrass Damage

Resources that give tips and advice for new construction and renovation of fields:
8 Steps to an Easy Field Facelift
A Guide to Synthetic and Natural Turfgrass for Sports Fields – Selection, Construction and Maintenance Considerations
Natural Grass Athletic Fields for High Schools
Natural Grass Athletic Fields for High Schools PowerPoint


Suggestions for implementing environmental stewardship at sports facilities:


Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Water Efficiency
Stormwater Management
Renewable Energy
Carbon Credits, Renewable Energy Credits, and Carbon Offsets
Transportation
Lighting
Heat Islands 
Brownfields
LEED


 


Suggestions for implementing environmental stewardship on athletic fields:


Soil Issues
Species Selection
Cultural Practices
Traffic Management
Natural Pesticides


Pesticides
Compost Applications to Sports Fields
Best Management Practices to Reduce Stormwater Runoff and Pollution at your Sports Facility


Resources that focus on keeping fans, athletes, coaches, and other users safe:


Sports Field Safety Football/Soccer Safety and Maintenance Checklist
Baseball/Softball Safety and Maintenance Checklist
The STMA Collection of ASTM Standards for Athletic Fields


Take advantage of all that STMA has to offer!  In addition to the resources STMA has provided, links to university websites and STMA conference presentations are also available to assist you in taking your athletic field and professionalism to the next level.