KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's a challenge for the Kansas City Wizards ground crew to turn a minor league baseball field into a soccer field.
The efforts of the
Wizards crew were recognized today by the
Sports Turf Managers Association.
The group selected the soccer field at Community America Ballpark as the Professional Soccer Field of the Year, according to a news release from the team.
The six-judge panel graded the Wizards efforts on playability and appearance of the field, budget and other categories.
"This is a well-deserved award for Jay Griggs, Justin Bland and Michael Moyer,'' said Kansas City Wizards Manager Peter Vermes in the release. "Those guys do an unbelievable job every week to get the field at CAB ready for Major League Soccer matches. Players in our league cover a lot of ground and put a lot of wear and tear into a field. Making the changes that we make on an every-game basis and keeping the playing surface in world-class condition is a testament to the hard work and ability of our grounds crew.''
The ground crew will receive the award in January at the turf managers conference and exhibition.
The turf managers voted Lambeau Field, the home of the
Green Bay Packers, as the Professional Football Field of the Year.
The Corpus Christi Hooks have the best professional baseball field, according to the turf managers.
