Presented by The NC/SC SFMA Partners Program
conference information resource
Daily Schedule
Click Days and Rooms for more information
- Sunday November 16, 2025
- Monday November 17, 2025
- Tuesday November 18, 2025
- Wednesday November 19, 2025
- Dunes Room
Certified Sports Field Manager Exam – Pre-Registration Through STMA is Required
- Carolina Room
- Myrtle Beach National
8:30am Load bus at Hilton DoubleTree
9:00am Arrive CCU, Tour Football Stadium (new surface)and new FB practice facility, baseball, soccer, and softball facilities. Scott Grinter, Senior Director of Athletic Grounds presenting.
11:30am Load bus and travel to City of NMB Sports Complex.
12:00pm Arrive at NMB Sports Complex. Have lunch in Pavilion.
12:00pm Dr. Ray McCauley, NC State University Turfgrass Extension Associate
Pesticides are an efficacious and economic way to manage pests in athletic fields. When used responsibly they provide “safe” control options for athletes and the environment.
However, without pesticides viable control options become scarce and expensive, and sound turfgrass management becomes imperative. This presentation will address preventative and curative pest control options in athletic fields without the use of pesticides.
1:00pm Tour NMB Sports Complex and new expansion details. Bernie Lowe, Parks and Rec Manager presenting.
2:30pm Load bus for return to Hilton DoubleTree
Myrtle Beach National – 4900 National Dr, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
Complimentary transportation will leave hotel at 8 am
Presented by Revels Turf & Tractor and Beard Equipment
- Carolina Room
- Springs Room
- Ground Floor
- Atlantic Room AB
- Atlantic Room CD
SFMA CEO Paula Sliefert will give an Association update and discuss her vision for the future of the SFMA.
G.R.O.W.
Outstanding organizations reach championship status by having a vision for Greatness, producing high quality Results, opening the door to Opportunities for development and cultivating a Winning mindset each day. With this simple approach, you will GROW the talent you have to get the championship team you need. When applied thoughtfully and daily, the GROW process will cultivate weeders into leaders.
Racing for Resilience: Innovations in Sports Turf Management at Churchill Downs
This keynote explores the unique world of sports turf management for horse racing. Jamie Richardson, Churchill Downs Inc. track superintendent since 2015, and CHD consultant Will Schnell will discuss managing the racetrack’s innovative turf course and meeting the rigorous demands of multiple racing seasons. They highlight recent and upcoming multi-million dollar CHD renovations, building resilient racecourses with novel management, and using cutting-edge techniques day-to-day to ensure safety for the best thoroughbred horses in the world.
Dr. Dara Park – Water Quality Influences Pesticide Efficacy
Pesticide Credit Pending Approval
Discussion on how water quality affects pesticide efficacy, how specific
pesticides act with water quality, tank mixing management options for
specific water quality issues, and how irrigation can influence efficacy
The Hole Truth: Aerification Myths and Methodologies
Traffic/wear patterns, field age, and profile construction all influence important plant and soil parameters such as soil compaction, surface hardness, water infiltration, and root architecture. Compromises to each of these factors may negatively change field performance and player safety; therefore, alleviation is often required through the process of aerification. A variety of aerification equipment and techniques are available for sports field managers; however, each poses their own specific benefits and limitations. Profile construction, frequency of use, sport-specific wear patterns, and the size of an athletic complex will dictate aerification timing and frequency. This presentation will discuss the basic impact of wear and traffic on plant and soil health, new versus old equipment technology, site-specific aerification techniques, and the influence of wear/traffic on player safety and injury risk. Further information will include the use of aerification to enhance the influence of wetting agents on soil moisture management as well as PRE and POST herbicide efficacy. Discussions will be comprised of both applied information and research-based data.
Complimentary Breakfast
Complimentary Lunch
“The Devil is on Your Dance Floor”, and Other Interesting Quotes During A Recent Mental Health Journey
Mike is the former director of athletic grounds and playing surfaces at Clemson University. He and his wife, Robin, recently celebrated 40 years of marriage. Together, they have been parents, grandparents, and followers of Christ. Mike enjoys “gentlemen’s farming”, early morning walks to watch the day come life, and serving others in an unnoticed manner. December of 2023 Mr. Echols was given the opportunity to move into athletic administration. Here is his journey, in his own words.
Synthetic turf back to Natural Grass
Influence of Field Paint on Soil Properties and Player Safety
Turfgrass managers apply athletic field paint to field surfaces in order to create boundary lines and logos that provide direction and aesthetics for a range of sporting events. Most of these paints are water-based latex containing a variety of pigments, resins, solvents, and additives, so application is required weekly during field play and paint penetration into the soil profile can be exacerbated over time. Although responsible for different chemical functions, each of these paint constituents has the potential to disrupt turfgrass and soil health. Soil characteristics such as field capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, wilting point, and bulk density may be examined to determine soil functionality within a turfgrass system in response to paint presence. Furthermore, athlete interaction with paint applied to the turfgrass canopy can alter player performance and safety. This presentation will discuss specific soil characteristics that are affected by the presence of athletic field paint and how this could modify current turfgrass management practices. Additional discussion will include player to surface interactions and athlete perceptions of painted versus non-painted turfgrass areas.
NC SFMA Internships
- Carolina Room
- Springs Room
- Atlantic Room AB
- Atlantic Room CD
Understanding & Evaluating Fertilizer
1 Fertilizer analysis and made 6 different ways.
When I do this, I show the audience the different components that can be used to build the fertilizer and how they all compare. Fortunately, I don’t stop there, I include the mathematical differences between the components from both and agronomic and economic perspective, because frankly, if you don’t have “economics” as part of a fertilizer discussion, it becomes hard to evaluate the differences between the products.
Complimentary Breakfast
essential elements of turfgrass fertilization, soil test
interpretation, and strategic nutrient management. Attendees will learn to optimize fertilizer type, timing, and rates for sustainable growth while reducing costs, environmental impact, and pesticide inputs. The session will highlight practical approaches to achieving healthy, resilient sports turf systems.
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TBA
Getting Your Facility Ready For The Big Lights
The steps Rockhill P&R take in preparation for hosting major tournaments that a nationally televised.
Panel Discussion
Navdeep Godara is an Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Weed Science at North Carolina
State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Turfgrass Weed Science from Virginia Tech
under the mentorship of Dr. Shawn Askew. His doctoral research was focused on
evaluating the effects of turf protection products on the ultraviolet floral reflectance of
weedy flowers in turfgrass systems, to reduce pollinator exposure to pesticides and
promote environmental stewardship.
Bio: Ben Pritchard, originally from East Tennessee, recently earned his Ph.D. in
Turfgrass Weed Science under Dr. Jim Brosnan at the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville. His dissertation research focused on the herbicide tetflupyrolimet and its
applications in turfgrass systems. Outside of work, Ben enjoys visiting his family farm
and in general, spending time outdoors! Ben has now joined the University of Georgia in
Griffin, GA, as their new Turfgrass Weed Scientist.
Presenting Partners
Early Bird Tickets!
early bird pricing ends October 15, 2025
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