Time Out with: Jason Chishom Athletic Fields Manager

The "Time Out" feature will provide St. Joe's followers with an opportunity to learn more about our athletes and other individuals involved in athletics.

This week we will feature Athletic Fields Manager Jason Chisholm, who is in his second year working on the beautiful playing fields on the Saint Joseph's College campus.

Contributing writer Pat DeCola '09 conducted the following interview:

Pat DeCola: So, Jason, I don’t know a whole lot about you. Why don’t you tell me a little about your background?

Jason Chisholm: I started here at St. Joe’s on September 1st, 2006. Prior to working here I was working for the City of Portland for ten years, doing jobs on all of their athletic fields. For most of that time, too, we were responsible for taking care of Hadlock Field, where the Sea Dogs play. I had also done work for every end of the spectrum of fields, from little league, middle school, high school, and minor league baseball. The only place I had never worked with was at the college level . So being at St. Joe’s is a pretty unique experience for me but it’s great. Sometimes though, if I’m called to help at another school’s fields I’m always willing to help out and teach them some basic and routine maintenance procedures to make sure that they keep their investments up to par and not go to waste.

PD: Wow that’s pretty cool that you got to work at Hadlock. Do you prefer to work on baseball diamonds?

JC: Well, I enjoy working on all fields but there’s a certain sense of pride I have when it comes to baseball. I could just look at a field all day that was just mowed, dragged, and lined for a baseball game.

PD: So how did you get into this field?

JC: To tell you the truth, it just kind of fell into place. I was working for South Portland thirteen years ago just trying something different, when the City of Portland offered me a job working with there athletic fields. Even though I knew nothing about athletic fields at the time. Despite this, when I interviewed for the position the guy liked me and hired me right away. This was the best move I’ve ever made until now. Since then I have gotten my Master License in Maine Pesticide applications. This just confirmed to me that this is what I want to do. There’s just something about this job I like and can’t get enough of.

PD: Did you have to take any classes for your career?

JC: Yes, I took a Turf Management class at SMCC that I actually help co-teach now. I also have to attend seminars at least twice a year to keep up with my pesticides credits and knowledge about fertilizers and anything else that I need to be up to date on in my field. Things are constantly changing and progressing. I’m also regularly a speaker at conferences for the New England Sports Turf Managers Association (NESTMA). But as far as classes for field maintenance go, they don’t have classes for building a mound from scratch or painting a logo on grass.

PD: What challenges did you face with the spring time weather and the condition of the fields?

JC: Well, snow is the biggest problem. No brainer. The worst part is that pretty much all of the fields are nearly 1/2 covered in shade, which causes a problem when we want it to melt. And then when it does melt, the fields are soaking wet. However, the baseball and softball teams did a great job of shoveling their fields off this spring so the snow didn’t get a chance to melt, leaving the fields somewhat dry.

PD: So, how do you get the fields ready?

JC: Each field has to be mowed before a game, as well as re-painting all of the field lines and I have to do a general pick up of trash on and around it. The baseball and softball fields also have to be drag and lined. Game day is usually easier than all of the regular maintenance that goes into these fields. It’s probably 90% maintenance and 10% game.

PD: What do you do in the wintertime to get ready for the spring seasons?

JC: Since a lot of the equipment gets broken down through regular use throughout the seasons, I do a lot of repairing. I “tune up” all of the rakes, fix the drags, and service all of the drag machines and mowers among other various odd jobs. This past winter I actually made four indoor pitching mounds and I put up the banners in the gym for the 1,000 point scorers. I also have order enough supplies to make sure we’re always prepared for the 1st day we can get a game in or out at least get out on the fields and practice . I ordered two tons of turface, two tons of rapid dry, 20 cases of paint, marking lime, 25 bags of clay, plenty of grass seed, and fertilizer . Being the only Athletic field maintainer, I feel like there’s so much to get done in the winter to get ready for what needs to be done solely for the athletic fields that I just don’t have enough hours in the day. If not for anything else it’d be great for this interview to educate people about my job and show them that it’s not as easy as going out to Home Depot, buying a general home owners lawn mower and mowing the grass. . It’s more complicated and demanding than that and takes a pretty decent amount of knowledge.

PD: What satisfaction do you get from your job?

JC: Hands down, the best part is being able to look over the fence and see what you’ve done. It’s really a sense of accomplishment, especially when you hear spectators, coaches, the athletic director, and student athletes say “Wow, that field looks nice.”

PD: Do you have any family?

JC: Yes, I have a wife, Krista, who owns a pet grooming salon named “Fabulous Furballs Pet Salon.” I also have two kids, Haylen, 7, and Eli, 4. We all live in Scarborough.
PD: So you traveled with the baseball team to Florida. I was told to ask about “the plunger”. What’s that all about?

JC: (Laughs) Well, I’ll give you the short version of it. I went with the team down to Florida to be a van driver, and assist them with the everyday events. One night we all went out to eat, but to separate places. When we came back from dinner there were a few of the players gathered around the van and I could tell something had happened. When I got up to the crowd, I looked at the van and there was a huge crunch that went from the window all the way to the base of the vehicle. I decided not to ask how it had happened or who did it, but to think of a way to fix it. I saw a Target across the street and told everybody to get in the van and off we went. I had seen these things on TV that essentially used suction to pull dents out of a car, they didn't have any. So the next logical thing – a plunger. Myself and a ball player (probably the one that did it) went into Target and found this really heavy duty one that I could barely get off the floor when I tested it. It was only about six bucks, so the ball player offered to pay for it. This confirmed my earlier thought that he was involved. Well, we went outside, stuck it to the dent and pulled that sucker out. It worked like a charm – took the whole dent out. The aftereffects were not noticeable at all. Then we returned the plunger right after that!

PD: That’s quite a story. Do you have any favorite, strange, or funny memories that have happened since you’ve been at St. Joe’s?

JC: Well the plunger story is definitely my favorite and most funny memory, mainly because it involved so many player of the baseball team. Since then it’s spread like wildfire and now everybody makes jokes about it. As far as the strangest thing that’s happened, I’d have to say it was earlier this year, when our field hockey field was just overrun with Japanese beetles. I’d seen beetles before, but never this bad. It was like something you’d seen on the discovery channel. I said to Athletic Director Brian Curtain “We’re in trouble.” But luckily I was able to get in under control. For my favorite memory though, I’d have to say that it was last year when we were hosting the High School baseball and softball state Championship games. It’s the best time of the year weather wise, when all our fields are coming into their peak. It really just fulfilling to see all of our hard work come together at one time and see all the people appreciate it.

Time Out with
Michael Hebenstreit