With the arrival of fall there are so many fantastic fields around the world being showcased on television and on social media.  Kudos to each and every hard-working Grounds Manager out there who is setting the example that grass CAN take more traffic!  The grass field #revolution is growing!

In the search of new ideas and different perspectives, Saturday I set off on a new trip to Europe to observe and learn from some fantastic Grounds Managers.  Managers across the big pond are currently maintaining fields under heavy use and preparing for winter play as well.  Observations and conversations start in the UK, advance through Spain, and end in Porto, Portugal on Oct. 11.

In Portugal I will have the privilege to present the keynote address for the ESSMA Head Grounds Managers Seminar at FC Porto. The keynote revolves  around the components of the natural grass field #revolution and the possibilities of high traffic natural grass that each of you that read and share around this blog are individually creating every day.  Kudos to all of you! Evolution is changing the answer.  Revolution is changing the question!!

What an honor to be able to take part in the event while representing our fantastic, positive minded team at Maryland SoccerPlex.  SoccerPlex becomes the 1st American member of ESSMA as part of the event, something we are very, very proud of as well.

ESSMA, the European Stadium & Safety Management Association,  in close cooperation with its field management partners CampeyImants, EVERRIS, DESSO GrassMaster, SGL and TERRAPLAS is presenting its second Head Grounds Managers Seminar .  The seminar focuses on the established field management cases of ESSMA, grounds managers sharing their concepts and practical visit to the stadium field and training centre at FC Porto.  The 2012 event was held at FC Barcelona.

On the education program are Jonathan Calderwood (Paris Saint-Germain), Ricardo Carvalho (FC Porto); Lee Jackson (Manchester City); Sebastian Breuing (VfL Bochum; Bochum, Germany); and Maxim Kobzin (Donbass Arena; Donetsk, Ukraine).   There is no doubt that the exchange of ideas and possibilities created at the event will be many!

And ultimately, that is the key to the #revolution.  The continual exchange of ideas between managers around the world builds innovation by promoting outside the box thinking to meet the demands and needs of natural grass fields.  We have questions and we have answers.  Our peers have questions and answers.  They have answers to other questions that we might not even realize we need to ask!!

Keep up with and engage in the exchange during the trip here…  The possibilities are endless, but your feedback is required!  To have notice of updates, click the FOLLOW up in the top left corner of this post… or follow me on twitter at @JeradRMinnick

Best wishes to a successful end of the week… and CHEERS to the continuing spread of the #revolution!