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Pennsylvania Turfgrass – Julie Holt, Content Director, TheTurfZone.com

The Pennsylvania turf family welcomes new board member Madison Manos to the KAFMO Board of Directors this year. But while she may be new to the board, her involvement with KAFMO goes all the way back to a high school internship with Dan Douglas and the Reading Phillies, followed by a four-year degree in Turf Science at Penn State. Madison is currently the Head Groundskeeper for the Hempfield School District. A recent conversation with her made it clear that turf management is truly a family affair for Madison Manos and evidence that the new generation growing up in the profession has an eye to the future.

In the Family

When asked what initially attracted her to the field of Turf Science, Madison recalls that her father was an important early influence. A turf professional and golf course superintendent himself, he saw Madison’s two older brothers choose different lines of work. But Madison loved the idea of a job where she could be outside in nature, and he took pride in encouraging her and showing her the ropes. She recalls the moment at a Lancaster Barnstormers game with him when she realized she was much more interested in the turf on the field than in the game itself, and the decision to pursue turf as a career followed naturally from that. When we wonder if her Dad is still involved in her career, she laughs and says that, while they are in close contact, he “only gives wanted advice.”

Exploring Options

Madison Manos especially credits her 2015 internship with the Baltimore Orioles with giving her the self-confidence to pursue her professional future. She says that the example of Head Groundskeeper Nicole Sherry, who remains a mentor and close friend to this day, opened her eyes and made her realize the many career options that lay before her. Madison completed a wide variety of internships in order to explore those options and then worked briefly in landscaping after graduation. All of these experiences prepared her for her current role. She is now in sole charge of the grounds and playing fields of the Hempfield School District, which consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, an administration building, outbuildings, and athletic fields on one large campus.

Rewarding Career

The job has many positives in her eyes. “I love being outdoors in all weathers, surrounded by the sounds and smells of nature,” she says. “I find it therapeutic.” Another bonus for her is that there is nothing routine or repetitive about her job. “Every day is different — new problems to be solved, new people to meet, new things to learn.” One new project she is particularly looking forward to is building her school district’s relationship with the FFA and KAFMO school outreach efforts. She is working on developing a First Green program of field trips designed to introduce students from local schools to the world of turf. Madison wants young women, who are currently underrepresented in the profession, to know that a career in turf can be very rewarding. “If all high school students are exposed to the possibilities early, the turf profession can only benefit by their interest,” she says.

Challenges

As in any job, there are also challenges. Madison is the only full-time groundskeeper at the school district, although she can call on the assistance of maintenance staff. As a young professional in a position of leadership, she is required to wear many different hats and to interact with key people, from athletic director and coaching staff to parents — all of whom have their own priorities and perspectives. Sometimes, she says, she needs to educate people on why certain things are necessary — or impossible. But the common goal of making sure that conditions for the students are safe and optimal wins out and draws the school athletic community together.

Madison confesses that her biggest challenge currently is maintaining a good, healthy work-life balance. She and her husband are both turf professionals — in fact, they bonded over turf and are able to offer each other valuable professional support and opinions after hours. But, as she says, “there are two sides to that coin.” His work as a golf course superintendent and hers at the school district can be hectic and driven by the same needs of the season and the weather. After they welcomed their baby daughter, Athena Jo, last July, they both had to make a serious effort to establish balance, set boundaries, and not bring their work home — “to turn off the phone,” she laughs. Madison is grateful that she is able to work four ten-hour days, which gives her an extra day to spend with her daughter each week.

The Next Generation

Now that Madison Manos has settled into her professional niche, she is ready to turn her energies to mentoring the next generation. She feels that as a woman in a visible position, she can serve as a role model for high school girls who might not otherwise even think that a career in turf management was possible. The First Green Field Trips she is planning are intended to open their eyes.

When asked what advice she would give to students who do go on to consider a future in turf science, Madison uses her own experience as a reliable road map. “Learn the science and do as many varied internships as you can, from major league ball fields to golf courses to horticultural gardens. That is the only way you will develop your skills, gain respect, and find out which path is best suited for you,” she counsels. It is also, of course, the best way to make contacts in the profession, to find mentors, and to experience the expertise and comradeship of the turf family that she has come to enjoy so much.