University of California, Riverside In 1983, Cockerham became Superintendent of Agricultural Operations for the agricultural experiment station of the University of California, Riverside. His background made him uniquely qualified for the position.
Cockerham says, “It was a fully administrative appointment, with the superintendent responsible to the Dean and the academic senate. Tat meant I’d need to have a publication history to get promoted. Vic Gibeault was already working in turf there, so we collaborated to put together a significant research program and the facility to operate it. We’d establish a second facility a few years later.”
Te 1984 Olympics drew him into the sports turf industry. “I worked with sod growers at both the Coliseum and the Rose Bowl to prepare the fields for the events held there.”
When the World Cup came to California in 1994, Cockerham worked with Dr. Jim Watson, turfgrass expert with the Toro Company, on preparing all nine venues for soccer. Tey were at the Stanford University field in Palo Alto, when Cockerham experienced what he terms, “my biggest scare. We were putting down the turf when I realized it was netted sod. I was the guy that invented it and knew I was going to have to explain the concept to someone. I was overwhelmed by self doubt at that moment. As it turned out, the netting was deep enough that the players’ cleats didn’t cut into it—and when they wore down the grass, the netting tore instead of catching their cleats. It was a wow moment. I’d had visions of one of those million dollar players ending his career.”
Typical of Cockerham, when he gets involved in an industry, he becomes a force in it. He served as president of the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) in 1989. He was the recipient of the prestigious Dr. William H. Daniel Award, which honors educators/researchers for their service to the industry, in 1991 and 1998. And he was the recipient of the 2005 President’s Award for Leadership.
Te books he developed during his tenure with UCR made an equally impressive impact. Aiming to open doors, Cockerham wrote Turfgrass Sod Production, a basic guide and reference manual, which was published in 1988. He says, “It was written for new employees of established companies; turfgrass students; and those going into the business. Many in the sod industry liked it and some contributed to it. But those guarding their ‘trade secrets’ were not happy with me.”
His next book, Establishing and Maintaining the Natural Turf Athletic Field, “a practical guide to sports turf culture,” was published in 2004.
When Gibeault retired in 2007, Cockerham organized a second water symposium to honor his work. Te second
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edition of Turfgrass Water Conservation, published in 2011, was a byproduct of this symposium. Cockerham co- edited the second edition with Bernd Leinauer, a turfgrass specialist at New Mexico State University. “We added a ‘Practicum’ chapter of practical information, gleaned from each technical chapter, especially for practitioners, administrators in planning and operations, politicians, public agencies, educators, and students."
Director Emeritus Cockerham retired in 2010 as director emeritus of UCR agricultural operations and, of course, he is still “working on some things.” He’s researching a range of cultural practices on a few paspalum cultivars to assess their performance in the Riverside, CA, climate. He has rekindled the unfinished De Anza zoysia project. De Anza, and its sister zoysia, Victoria, were patented and released from the UCR turfgrass breeding and research program through his collaboration with Gibeault. “De Anza was the first turfgrass used in what was then named Bank One Ballpark, home of Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Its attributes are so strong; it deserves a closer look. I’m also working on an irrigation sensor study funded by a water conservation grant from Toro.”
Steve Cockerham checks the field at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Photo courtesy of University of California, Riverside
Looking to the Future
As always, Cockerham is forward-thinking. “Water will be key everywhere, as it long has been in the Southwest,” he says. “During the severe drought about 15 years ago, I helped as Vic led a group of sod producers and other sod industry representatives to present scientific evidence to the governor and legislature to counteract those bashing turfgrass. Tis time, no one took a leadership role. It would be a great if TPI would step up to leadership in water politics—local, regional, national and international—but it must be coordinated so the message is consistent. Whatever the association can do, through research and/or education, to spread the positive message must be a top priority. Manufacturers are coming alongside that need, but they could use some help and recognition for their contribution. Sod growers have never been reluctant to state their thoughts. We just need to channel our efforts in the right direction to make a difference in public and legislative opinion and action.”
Suz Trusty is co-editor of Turf News. TPI Turf News September/October 2016
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