One of our 2022 Pioneers in the Field class members John Clintsman joined us in Savannah to talk about cultivating crew culture. At the core of John Clintsman's story as a sports field manager was mentorship. He asked two of his mentors, Thomas Trotter and Michael Brownlee to join the chat so they could accept the credit he gives them for teaching him what kind of boss and industry professional he wanted to be. The three gentlemen reflect on the importance of mentorship in our industry, how culture stems from the leader and how you can find a mentor and friend anywhere you look in sports turf.

Here's what you'll hear in this week's Groundskeeper Chat:

  • The importance of mentorship in sports turf
  • How to cultivate a healthy crew culture
  • How to create helpful relationships with everyone you meet in sports turf
  • Lastly, why the next generation should consider a career in sports turf
Watch Part 2 Here!

A little bit more about our guests:

John Clintsman is the Director of Grounds for Ensworth School in Tennessee and one of our 2022 Pioneers in the Field class members. Early on in his sports turf journey John worked with Thomas Trotter over at the Nashville Sounds Baseball Club, where he says Thomas taught exemplified the type of boss John wanted to be in his future. John went on to take the head gig at Ensworth where he met Simple vendor, Michael Brownlee. John credited Michael for empowering John to take his gig to the next level and really own what he was doing with his grounds plan. The three gentlemen embody the greatest things about our industry, mentorship, wealth of knowledge and friendship.

For more about their story, be sure to read John's Pioneers in the Field profile.

You can also listen to the conversation on: