Sports Turf Managers of Year announced
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Minor League Baseball announced today the four classification winners of the 14th annual Sports Turf Manager of the Year Awards, sponsored by the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA). The STMA provides educational opportunities and support so that sports turf managers can provide the best sports surfaces for all levels of play. This year's recipients, three of which are multi-year honorees, are as follows: Triple-A - Joey Stevenson (Indianapolis Indians), Double-A - Brock Phipps (Springfield Cardinals), Single-A - Keith Winter (Fort Wayne TinCaps) and Short Season-A or Rookie - David Yearout (Spokane Indians). Winners are selected by a 15-member awards committee, compiled by STMA. Each nominee is independently scored on cultural practices, gameday routine, resource utilization, staff management and the groundskeeper's involvement and support of the sports turf industry. The recipients will receive their awards at the Baseball Winter Meetings Awards Luncheon on Monday, Dec. 8, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront in San Diego, California.
The Triple-A recipient is the Indianapolis Indians' head groundskeeper Joey Stevenson. In his eighth season with the team, Stevenson is being honored as the Triple-A Sports Turf Manager of the Year for the third time, also winning in both 2011 and 2012. Last year, he won SportsTurf Magazine's first annual "Mowing Patterns" contest. He is one of only three groundskeepers to be named International Sports Turf Manager of the Year at least three times (2011, 2012 and 2014).
The Springfield Cardinals' Brock Phipps is the Double-A winner for the third time in his career, also being named top sports turf manager in the classification in 2008 and 2013. Phipps is also the Texas League honoree for the sixth time (2007-08, 2011-13). He and his staff received the award for Double-A Field of the Year for John Q. Hammons Field in both 2008 and 2013. In 2014, Brock completed his 10th year with the Springfield Cardinals and his eighth at Hammons Field.
Keith Winter, the Fort Wayne TinCaps' head groundskeeper, is the recipient of the Single-A award for the second year in a row. Winter has won five consecutive Midwest League "Field/Grounds Crew of the Year" awards. In 2014, he completed his eighth season in professional baseball and was awarded a second consecutive STMA Class A "National Field of the Year" award.
In the Short Season-A or Rookie classifications, the Spokane Indians' head groundskeeper David Yearout is the winner. In September, the Northwest League recognized Avista Stadium, home of the Spokane Indians, as the NWL Field of the Year for the 10th consecutive season, and the 16th time in the last 18 years.
"The Minor League Baseball Sports Turf Manager of the Year Award is a dedication to our members who have an intense passion to provide the finest playing surfaces," said Kim Heck, CEO of STMA. "Each day, they face new challenges, and these devoted individuals consistently create novel solutions to provide pristine and safe sports fields."
"Minor League Baseball takes great pride in providing state-of-the-art facilities to our thousands of players across our 15 leagues and our millions of fans across the country," said Pat O'Conner, Minor League Baseball President & CEO. "Each year, along with STMA, we recognize the individuals who have been instrumental in ensuring that our playing surfaces are not only physically appealing, but also meet professional baseball's field condition requirements."
2014 Sports Turf Managers of the Year
| LEAGUE | WINNER | CLUB |
|---|---|---|
| International | Joey Stevenson | Indianapolis Indians |
| Pacific Coast | Casey Griffin | Albuquerque Isotopes |
| Mexican | Martin Vidal Miranda | Diablos Rojos del Mexico |
| Eastern | Matt Parrott | Bowie Baysox |
| Southern | Ray Sayre | Pensacola Blue Wahoos |
| Texas | Brock Phipps | Springfield Cardinals |
| California | Rex Whitney | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes |
| Carolina | Corey Russell | Myrtle Beach Pelicans |
| Florida State | Opie Cheek | Clearwater Threshers |
| Midwest | Keith Winter | Fort Wayne TinCaps |
| South Atlantic | Mike Williams | Charleston RiverDogs |
| New York-Penn | Chris Mason | Mahoning Valley Scrappers |
| Northwest | David Yearout | Spokane Indians |
| Appalachian | Kelly Rensel | Greeneville Astros |
| Pioneer | Eddie Mort | Grand Junction Rockies |
| Gulf Coast | Kenny Berger | Gulf Coast Nationals |
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, Venezuela 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 2014, Minor League Baseball attracted 42.4 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 about Minor League Baseball, visit www.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. For more information: www.stma.org, 800.323.3875.