It's often said that creative minds find inspiration in unexpected places.When most of us look at a well groomed lawn, whether it's our neighbors' backyard or a meticulously manicured baseball field, we may not consider the art — or the science — that goes into its flawless appearance.But for Anthony Defeo and Kyle Dickson, professionals with years of experience perfecting the art of tip-top turf, thinking about the game from the ground up is part of the daily grind. Below, we challenged these two turf pros to show off their talents in an inventive way — by creating emoji art using their technical expertise and eye for design, with a little assistance from the Troy-Bilt FLEX.
Though perfectly symmetrical, razor-straight lines are frequently the norm on the field, we wondered what it might look like if we took a new, decidedly modern approach to the art of turf.
So we challenged Defeo and Dickson to showcase their technical expertise in an inventive way. What could be the most expressive way to display the intricacies of turf management and field design? Well... emojis, of course. Check out the video below to see Defeo and Dickson take their turf skills to the next level.
Now those are some mad mowing skills.
When I look at grass, I see a canvas.
Anthony Defeo's turf roots date back to a high-school gig tending a local golf course when he was just 14 years old.
From filling divots on the driving range, to majoring in turf in undergrad, to becoming an award-winning groundskeeper for the Tennessee Smokies, Defeo's career has been defined by the intricacies and delicate ecosystems of athletic fields. Tending to these fields requires an eye for precision, expert knowledge of every element of grass and soil, and the ability to roll with any punches dealt by weather and wear.
"People don’t realize we’re at the mercy of Mother Nature every season," says Defeo. "It could be a dry season, a warm season, a rainy season — so something that worked well last year won’t necessarily translate to the next." Another aspect of groundskeeping that fans may not consider: A properly groomed field requires year-round maintenance, not just in-season care. The work can be extremely time-consuming, but the end results are worth all the turmoil over the turf, says Defeo."When the team is here, we work about 14-hour days," explains Defeo. "When they're away, we try to get the field ready for what's up next. [We spend a lot of time] repairing the actual playing surface."Off-season doesn't equate time off for Defeo and his cohorts, either; they often get called overseas to prepare turf for Major League Baseball, supporting the organization's efforts to promote the iconic game on an international level. Recently, for example, Defeo voyaged to Cuba to tend the field for a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cuba's national team. The competition was an effort to establish good will and diplomacy, bridging cultural gaps through the beloved game of baseball.
Defeo has been with the Smokies for three seasons now. During his time as groundskeeper, he helped catapult the Smokies' 16-year-old stadium to the coveted title of "field of the year" in 2015. Surveying a freshly mowed field gives Defeo a sense of pride, he says. The fruits of his labor are evident in the satisfyingly precise patterns on the field, and in the knowledge that his work helps athletes achieve peak performance.
“The most fulfilling part of my job is that you can actually see the end results," he says.
It takes quite a bit of time and effort to make a field look great. Many people might argue that it's not a science — but I think it is.
Kyle Dickson's life revolves around turf in myriad ways — he's dabbled in everything from playing baseball, to scoring goals on the soccer field, to studying turf from a scientific perspective, to consulting with local high schools about soccer field safety.Dickson began mowing grass when he was five years old, a practice that eventually led to a foray into high-school entrepreneurship; he began a lawncare business as a teenager, mowing about 30 yards per week. In college, Dickson took his love of lawns to the next level, pursuing an undergraduate degree in turfgrass management, and then a Master's degree in turf. Now, he's working on a PhD in plant soil science with a concentration in turf and sports soil research. His primary interest — and dissertation — is on how soil and turf impacts the safety of athletic fields.With an athletic background of his own, the issue of field safety hits close to home. "I really enjoy being around sports and sporting activities, which keeps me interested in doing the necessary research to keep fields safer," he says. A few factors that dictate a field's level of playability and safety include how "fast" it is and how quickly it wears out under certain conditions, Dickson explains.Echoing Defeo's sentiments, Dickson is cognizant of just how much work it takes to bring a field to perfection. "A lot of the time, groundskeepers work 80, 90 hours a week," he explains, adding that though the average Joe may not consider turf to be a science, he begs to differ. "Grass is a living community," he says. "There's so much going on with the [ecosystem's] interactions, both above and below the soil."
Feeling inspired? If you've got the itch to try your own hand at turf design but are lacking the required degrees or technical expertise, check out the below interactive graphic to create your own custom scene (complete with your emoji of choice).