Training School
Athletic Field Maintenance & Construction
As a professional involved in the maintenance and/or construction of athletic fields, your job is to ensure that all of the fields in your care drain well, hold up to their intended use, are aesthetically pleasing, and, above all, provide safe and optimal playing conditions. Very often the difference between a good sports field and a great sports field is not spending more time on maintenance, but getting the most out of the time you spend. By participating in this training, you can make sure that you’re working smarter, not harder, and utilizing your time and resources in the most efficient and effective way.
Our Athletic Field Maintenance & Construction course presents an excellent learning and networking opportunity for all types of professionals who are involved in the maintenance and construction of athletic fields, including rugby fields, hockey fields, soccer fields, and more. Our instructors provide a balanced, comprehensive curriculum that is informed by both scholarly research and years of real-world, practical experience. You will get in-depth training on the proper techniques for maintaining and protecting all types of athletic field surfaces so that you can ensure that your fields are a point of pride for everyone in your organization. In addition, this course will cover important off-the-field topics such as budgeting and handling safety and legal issues. Knowing how to competently and confidently deal with these aspects of athletic field management can make the difference between a smooth, successful season of sports field use and one that is filled with headaches and problems.
Course participants will have opportunities to discuss current challenges and opportunities related to sports field maintenance and construction with fellow classmates/industry peers during breakfast and lunch breaks. Whether sports field maintenance has been part of your job for many years or you are just starting out in this line of work, you will leave this course with new insights for improving the quality and playability of your athletic fields.
Topics covered in the Athletic Field Maintenance & Construction class include:
- How the physical and chemical properties of soil affect athletic field construction, establishment, and management
- Design, operation, and maintenance of sports field irrigation systems
- Warm-season turfgrasses for athletic fields
- Maintenance procedures for natural turf fields
- Weed control for athletic fields
- Turfgrass disease management for athletic fields
- Controlling insect problems on sports fields
- Renovation and repair of existing athletic fields
- Infield maintenance procedures
- Sports field safety and legal issues
- Budgeting as an essential component of managing sports fields
- Basic landscaping