SAL1 Lake County Captains

Captains Sports Turf Manager named Groundskeeper of the Year

Published on November 22, 2004 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Lake County Captains News Release


(Eastlake, OH)—The Lake County Captains today announced that Sports Turf Manager Greg Elliott has been named "Groundskeeper of the Year" among all 60 full-season Class-A minor league teams in the United States.

The award is presented by the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA), the national body which oversees athletic sports turf management. The STMA annually selects a national winner from each classification of minor league baseball.

Elliott, 31, has been named Groundskeeper of the Year in the South Atlantic League for two consecutive seasons. He competed for the national award against league winners from the Carolina League, Florida State League and California League.

"It is an honor to be recognized nationally," said Elliott. "A lot of hard work goes into preparing a field the entire season. I have to thank my assistant Josh Klute and the rest of my grounds crew, as well as the Captains front office, for their tremendous support. I feel that we truly earned this honor as a staff."

Since Eastlake Ballpark's opening on April 10, 2003, the playing surface which Elliott maintains has been regarded by many managers and players as the best in the South Atlantic League.

"The Sports Turf Manager of the Year Award for Minor League Baseball validates the great work of our members," said Kim Heck, CEO of the STMA. "This honor is one of only a handful that the association awards to recognize superior sports field management. Greg's experience and expertise is definitely reflected in the award-wining playing conditions of Eastlake Ballpark."

Prior to joining the Captains in 2002, Elliott served as the Sports Turf Manager for the Cedar Rapids Kernels, a Class-A Midwest League team in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His experience also includes two seasons as Stadium Operations Manager with the Toledo Mud Hens (1999-2000) and one season as Assistant Groundskeeper with the Indianapolis Indians (2001). Elliott spent the summer and fall of 1998 working with USA Baseball and the Arizona Fall League in Tucson and Phoenix, respectively. A native of Maumee, Ohio, Elliott earned a degree in elementary education from Bowling Green

State and a degree in sports and commercial turf grass management at Michigan State University.

While earning the STMA Class-A award, the mild-mannered and good-natured Elliott also found time to prepare for his wedding to the former Lisa Imel. The two were married on September 17th.

Elliott will receive the award in a ceremony at the Baseball Winter Meetings in Anaheim, California on December 10th.

Since 1981, STMA has been the professional association for men and women

Managing sports facilities. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kansas, STMA

provides education and information to its more than 2,400 members.

The Captains will begin the 2005 season on April 7th in Lakewood, New Jersey, and will return to Eastlake Ballpark for the home opener on Monday, April 11th at 7:05 PM against the Delmarva Shorebirds. During the first two seasons of Captains baseball, over 850,000 fans have attended games at Eastlake Ballpark. Sometime during the 2005 season, the team will attract its One Millionth fan. The Captains are a class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. For more information on the Captains, visit www.captainsbaseball.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from November 22, 2004


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