PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS:

What happens when turf professionals from Penn State Cooperative Extension, the world of professional sports, and the private sector all team up to work on a community turf project? It results in a special “feel-good” synergy that gets the job done and also has great community impact. Westinghouse Academy, an inner-city high school in Pittsburgh serving Wilkinsburg, Homewood, Point Breeze, East Liberty and Highland Park, is getting a safe new football practice field and green activity space, thanks to the combined efforts of Head Coach Donta Green, Extension Educators Jeff Fowler and Michael White, and Thomas ProTurf contractor Jeremy Thomas, who was able to also enlist the help of Steelers groundskeeper Thomas Goynes. We asked where the vison for this project came from and how this turf power team had come together, and it was an inspiring story (Photo 1).

The Bulldogs and Their Coach

The Westinghouse Bulldogs have generated a lot of excitement in Pittsburgh over the last two years. In the words of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, last season, Westinghouse had “a fairy tale season that ended at the doorstep of a state championship.” The Bulldogs (14-1, 4-0) were the first City League school to reach the state finals since Perry High School 25 years ago. Under the charismatic leadership of Coach Donta Green, they were state runner-up in 2022, and Green was quoted as saying, “Our guys are just itching for another shot and another opportunity to do that” this season.

According to Jeff Fowler, “Coach has done some amazing things in his two years with the Westinghouse football program.” Donta Green is also the executive director of The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh, a nonprofit vocational training provider dedicated to providing opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment who need additional support to begin their careers. Founded in 2013, the Trade Institute is located in the Homewood community of Pittsburgh. The football team at Westinghouse reflects this demographic — 65% of the players’ fathers are incarcerated and will have barriers to employment when they re-enter society. And the student athletes who carried the Bulldogs to success last season have not only had to work hard to achieve this excellence, but they have also had multiple barriers to overcome – not the least of which was a practice field that was, like many neglected urban landscapes, run down and treacherous underfoot.

The Connected Community Initiative

Penn State Extension Educator Michael White is a Pittsburgh-based Program Specialist in the Connected Community initiative. He plays a vital role in developing programs that aim to provide equitable opportunities for underserved communities, empowering them to achieve success and personal growth. His goal is to leverage science-based Extension practices to respond to the diverse needs of urban communities, fostering a more vibrant and inclusive environment. “Many of the local green spaces are in distress,” he notes. “However, the Westinghouse Green Space initiative became a priority for me because of its potential to impact so many youths.”

White brought in his colleague, turf expert Jeff Fowler, to assess what it would take to renovate the field at Westinghouse Academy. Based on Fowler’s recommendations, White wrote grants to finance the purchase of seed and fertilizer and arranged to offer training for the school staff on care and maintenance of the new field. Jeff Fowler says he then got excited about the project and invited several of his KAFMO colleagues to get involved and lend a hand – and suddenly, the Westinghouse Green Space project was taking off (Photo 2)!

Jeremy Thomas of Thomas ProTurf is a graduate of Penn State’s Turf Science program and an active KAFMO member who contracts with Steelers groundskeeper Thomas Goynes. Jeremy Thomas agreed to donate his time and equipment to making the Westinghouse renovation project happen and Acrisure Stadium donated the organic waste material Thomas was grinding off the Steelers field for a resod and the Tri-King to transport it to use as fill for the bare spots and top dressing at Westinghouse – a combination of teamwork and recycling in which everybody wins. And as always, success leads to success.

The spotlight on the Westinghouse Bulldogs and their Head Coach has been drawing publicity to the field renovation project now that school is back in session and the teams are starting to practice – KDKA TV has recently approached the school about doing a story on their efforts as this article goes to press (Photo 3).

Multifaceted Impacts

When asked about what impact he anticipates the field renovation will have, Connected Community’s Michael White had a whole list of positive outcomes that reach well beyond the world of sports. “The impact of a school having a safe green space for activities is multifaceted and highly beneficial,” he said. “This dedicated outdoor area is a hub for physical and mental well-being, creating a positive environment for students and staff. With ample space for sports, games, and exercise, it encourages regular physical activity, contributing to better health and fitness,” he went on. “The presence of nature in the school’s surroundings offers stress relief and a calming effect, promoting improved mental health. Furthermore, green spaces provide opportunities for social interactions and outdoor learning, fostering community and connection to the environment. Overall, a safe green space at a school supports physical health and enhances the quality of education and well-being for the students who utilize it,” he concluded.

Field of Dreams

The Westinghouse Green Space renovation is, as of this writing, still a work in progress. In many ways, it is also a kind of Field of Dreams in the unlikely urban streetscape around Westinghouse Academy. But great things can happen when a network of enthusiastic and knowledgeable turf professionals and Extension Educators all join forces; in this case, all things are coming together perfectly to make this project happen for the Bulldog student athletes and their dynamic Coach, Donta Green. Fowler anticipates that the field will be ready for next year’s football season and that Westinghouse will put it to very good use!

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