In the world of sports turf management, few have mastered the art of mowing patterns. Sculpting a field with unique designs is truly a craft that requires patience, dedication and a detailed game plan.

The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA),  the organization for 2,600 men and women professionals overseeing sports fields worldwide and critical to athlete safety, kicks off its fifth annual “Mowing Patterns Contest.”

Members craft unique patterns for eligibility to win; only patterns produced with mowing equipment qualify. Entries are submitted via Facebook before November 20. The winner is announced on December 4 and included in a future issue of SportsTurf, STMA’s official monthly publication. Voting is open to all Facebook users.

“This contest serves as a vehicle to raise industry awareness and unite fellow sports turf managers. Through fun and creative playing surfaces, our members challenge each other and their results are amazing works of art.” — Kim Heck, CEO, STMA

Last year’s winner was Britt Barry, Sports Turf Manager at the Dayton Dragons, Single-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, pictured left. Barry won with his intricate “diamond-patterns” design he crafted at Fifth Third Field, home to the Dragons pictured above.

The Mowing Patterns winning design will have a custom poster featured at the 2018 STMA Conference & Exhibition (January 16-19) in Fort Worth, TX. Photos courtesy STMA