Turfgrass Management Specialist
Career Program Area
Goals
The purpose of The Turfgrass Management is to give the participant an overall view of the needed knowledge and problem solving skills necessary to work in the fields of Lawncare, Sports Turf and Golf Course Management.
The career program area will cover skills, tasks, knowledge and leadership abilities that would be beneficial in a student’s education or employment. The career program area will pertain to all regions of the country without being partial to any region.
The Turfgrass Management Specialist Career Program Area is designed to:
- Encourage the development of specialist opportunities in Lawncare, Sports Turf and Golf Course Management.
- Provide incentives to develop and improve curricular and instructional techniques
- Evaluate participant and program efficiency.
- Recognize individual accomplishments and educational curriculum in the turfgrass industry.
- Encourage cooperation between education and industry.
- Strengthen the PAS organization by encouraging active participation.
General Rules
Any participant who achieves 1st Place as an individual in The Turfgrass Management Specialist program area in Iowa will not be eligible to participate in this program area in the coming years. If the 1st place individual is also a member of any team (no matter what their final official team position is - i.e. 1st,2nd.3rd,4th, etc) the 1st place individual will become ineligible and the other team member may return with a different team member if they so choose.
All career program areas requiring tests will be written by a non-affiliated representative or the test will be administered by certification representatives (if available.) Power to select representatives will be under the direction of the Iowa PAS executive director.
Participants need to provide a NON-programmable calculator, (2)No. 2 pencils and erasers. Please read specific rules for additional materials needed. Calculators will not be provided; it will be the responsibility of participant to be prepared at the event. Cellular phones, Palm Pilots or any other type of programmable device will not be allowed during the Landscape Design/Nursery Development Specialist event.
Though not required, each team is highly encouraged to write a general unsealed thank you letter to the career program area sponsor of the Horticulture Specialist event area. Thank you letters should be submitted to the Horticulture Specialist coordinators at the beginning of the competition.
If possible, write thank you letters on local or state PAS stationary. Participants will be responsible for their own thank you stationery and their own writing utensils.
Procedures
The objective is to evaluate the proficiency level of Turfgrass Specialists in the areas of Lawncare, Sports Turf & Golf Course Management in the following ways:
1. General Knowledge Examination – 100 points. This 50 question multiple-choice exam will test the participants’ knowledge and understanding of basic horticultural principles in producing, marketing, using and maintaining nursery plants and turf. Each question has a value of two points. Participants will be allowed 55 minutes to complete the exam.
2. Identification of Plant Materials – 100 points. Fifty (50) specimens from the Turfgrass & Turfgrass Weed List will be displayed for participants to identify by scientific name. Participants will be given a multiple choice answer sheet containing six possible scientific names for each specimen. Each specimen will be worth two points. Specimens will be in the form of slides or photographs.
3. Identification and Correction of Pest and Plant Problems. - 100 points Pest and plant problem items may be presented as intact specimens, photos, preserved specimens or in slide form. There will be a series of multiple-choice questions to answer at each station. A total of 10 questions each worth 10 points will be given. Pest and plant problems can include, but are not limited to insects, fungi, bacteria, virus, weeds, nutrient deficiencies, growing procedures, pesticide damage, and faulty cultural practices. Participants will be allowed 25 minutes to complete this phase.
4. Turfgrass Management Problem – 150 points. This practicum is designed to evaluate knowledge of and ability in 1) calculating application rates of fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation, and, 2) evaluate environmental and cultural factors that affect the maintenance and profitability of turfgrass areas. A one-year maintenance schedule for either a lawn, sports field or golf course will be evaluated. Participants will need to bring their own calculator and pencils. There will be 15 objective questions about the plan. Participants will be given 40 minutes to complete this phase. Team Problem Solving and Presentation – 150 points
5. Team Case Study and Presentation – 150 points. Each team will be given the same case study. The problem will be of current interest in the turfgrass industry. The team members will have 30 minutes to develop a written solution and present it to a judge. The presentation is not to exceed five minutes. The judge will have an additional five minutes to ask the team questions. Participants need to come prepared with visual aid materials such as poster boards and markers. These materials will not be provided. If the team wishes to use a laptop computer, it may do so. Again the team will need to provide their own computer.
Turfgrass Management Specific Rules
1. Each team consists of two members. The participants will compete both individually and as a team.
2. In the event of a tie for individuals we will use three (3) preselected questions from the written exam and continue in the same sequence until a winner emerges. For teams; the 1st criteria will be the highest team score will win and if still tied; 2nd criteria we will go to the same three preselected questions used to break individual ties as above.
3. Check the specific activities for other equipment and supplies that will be allowed but are not required.
Scoring
Individual Scoring
- Written General Knowledge 100 points Exam
- Identification of Plant Material 100 points Identification and Correction of 100 points Pest and Disease Individual Landscape Drawing 150 points
- Total 450 points
Team Scoring
- Team case study presentation 150 points Average of individual scores 450 points Total 600 points
- *Team score will be determined by an average of each of the two members’ scores, plus the team case study score.
PAS Turf Grasses and Weeds List