"We have a turf and sports field management class over at Golden Valley High School," says Golden Valley High School Ag Teacher Kevin Magill. "We just started it last year, and it's one of our biggest growing programs."
Kids from rival schools worked together to literally level the playing field.
Students are learning from the pros at Toro and West Coast Turf.
Grading concerns have nothing to do with A's and B's.
"This is kind of the pathway I want to go down with my life -- work on a golf course or a baseball field of some sort," says Golden Valley FFA President Greyson Dockstader. "To hear their expertise and hear this is how we do this and this is this machine, it's really cool."
The teachers think so, too.
"What's been fun and unique is to see students that were in athletics had no interest in agriculture, yet had the connection of athletics and were given the door of opportunity to get involved in the turf field industry," says Atwater High School Ag Instructor Dave Gossman.
Their work involves soil, irrigation and learning plant science to lay new sod. That's agriculture.
"That's not the first thing that comes to mind but it really is, if you think about it," Dockstader is.
Being part of a grounds crew has become an appealing career choice.
"I've been to multiple MLB games, NFL games and you see those guys out there, you just wonder what their job is so once I came into this class, it gave me insight into what they do," says student Jordan Holmes.
"The kids got to go to Pebble Beach golf course last year and take a private tour with their head grounds crew," Magill said. "We went to Oracle Park, where the Giants play, and they got to have one-on-one talks with their whole grounds crew."
Magill hopes more schools add the program.
So many students signed up at Golden Valley, several had to be turned away.
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