Four
Groundskeepers Honored at Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.December 11
(LAWRENCE, Kan.) – Sports
Turf Managers Association (STMA) and Minor League Baseball
(MiLB) award the 2017‘Sports Turf Managers of the Year’ sponsored by STMA and
John Deere.
This
year, three of four honorees are first time winners; demonstrating that
excellent groundskeepers are continually proving and developing as top-notch
practitioners nationwide. Award recipients will receive this top honor at the
Major League Baseball Winter Meetings Banquet on Monday, Dec. 11, at Walt
Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Award
winners include:
·
Triple-A
– Matt Parrott, Charlotte Knights (Charlotte, N.C.)
·
Double-A
– Ray Sayre, Pensacola Blue Wahoos(Pensacola, Fla.)
·
Single-A
– Mike Williams, Charleston RiverDogs (Charleston, S.C.)
·
Short
Season or Rookie,Ryan Olszewski, Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Niles, Ohio)
“Our
minor league memberscontinually demonstrate uniqueness and skill while
maintaining safe and playable surfaces," says Kim Heck, CAE, CEO of STMA.
“The high-qualitysubmissions illustrate the individual meritsfor winners and
we’re proud to honor their truly fantastic results.”
Out
of the four winners, Matt Parrott is the only two-time winner of this award. In
2011, he earned the ‘Double-A Sports Turf Manager of the Year’award as a member
of the Bowie Baysox. Parrott’s accolades include‘Eastern League Diamond Pro
Sports Field Manager of the Year’ (2011, 2014 and 2015).
Ray
Sayre was recognized as ‘2017 Southern League Groundskeeper of the Year’for the
fifth straight season (2013 – 2017). Hired by the Philadelphia Phillies as Head
Groundskeeper at their Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Fla. at the beginning
of October, Sayre previously supported the Pensacola Blue Wahoos as Head
Groundskeeper for seven years.
Mike
Williams, a professional groundskeeper since 1993, has worked for the Charleston
RiverDogs since 2006. Accolades include ‘1994 Eastern League Groundskeeper of
the Year,’‘1994-95 Beam Clay Professional Field of the Year’ and ‘South
Atlantic League Sports Turf Manager of the Year’ (2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and
2017). The RiverDogs’ playing surface, Riley Park, has been named ‘South
Atlantic League Best Playing Field of the Year’ each year Williams was honored
as ‘Sports Turf Manager of the Year.’
Ryan
Olszewskicompleted his third season with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers as Head
Groundskeeper & Assistant Director of Stadium Operations. He and his staff
worked more than 155 total on-field events and demonstrated expert planning,
preparation and work ethic. Olszewski joined the team from the Akron
Aeros/Rubberducks.
Since
2000, STMA and MiLB have honored members who manage fields in Triple-A,
Double-A, Single-A and Short Season or Rookie divisions. Winners are selected
via a 13-member awards committee, compiled by STMA. Each nominee is
independently scored on cultural practices, game day routine, resource
utilization, staff management and the groundskeeper's involvement and support
of the sports turf industry.
Download
high-resolution facility and personnel images here.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Andy Tabor, Buffalo.Agency, 703.891.3394, ATabor@buffalo.agency
Jeff Lantz, Minor League Baseball, 727.456.1703, JLantz@MiLB.com
About STMA
STMA is the
not-for-profit, professional association for men and women who manage sports
fields worldwide. Since 1981, the association and its 34 local chapters have
been providing education, information and sharing practical knowledge in the
art and science of sports field management. Its more than 2,600 members oversee
sports fields and facilities at schools, colleges and universities, parks and
recreational facilities, and professional sports stadiums.
About Minor League
Baseball
Minor League Baseball, headquartered in St.
Petersburg, Florida, is the governing body for all professional baseball teams
in the United States, Canada and the Dominican Republic that are affiliated
with Major League Baseball® clubs through their farm systems. Fans are coming
out in unprecedented numbers to this one-of-a-kind experience that can only be
found at Minor League Baseball ballparks. In 2017, Minor League Baseball
attracted 41.8 million fans to its ballparks to see the future stars of the
sport hone their skills. From the electricity in the stands to the excitement
on the field, Minor League Baseball has provided affordable family-friendly
entertainment to people of all ages since its founding in 1901. For more
information, visit www.MiLB.com.
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