RSU 14 Grounds Coordinator has amazing experience while working for World Cup games

By Matt Pascarella

Windham RSU 14’s Grounds Coordinator Michael DiDonato had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity working field maintenance at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts when the facility hosted three World Cup soccer games from June 21 to June 30. DiDonato was on the game field, painting, mowing, setting up for the World Cup games during his time there. He was on the field for halftime care of the field as well as post-game shut down.

RSU 14 Grounds Coordinator Mike
DiDonato maintains the field at
Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts
during World Cup soccer games from
June 21 to June 30. DiDonato was one
of 36 individuals from the Northeast
chosen for this prestigious honor.
SUBMITTED PHOTOI    

“The atmosphere of 64,000 soccer fans cheering on their respected country was electric,” said DiDonato. “Being a part of the process to host such an amazing event with some of the best turf grass professionals in New England was an honor. This is another big event that I wanted to be a part of and hoped I would get picked to be a part of. I was one of 36 total that would be picked to work the World Cup.”

Ever since it was announced that the World Cup would be hosted by the United States, that had been the center point of the Sports Field Managers Association National Conference. DiDonato attends this conference every year for educational sessions to learn about what’s new in the industry, agronomics, irrigation work-life balance, and more. Once Gillette Stadium was chosen as one of the locations where games would be held, DiDonato’s interest was piqued and he thought this was an unbelievable opportunity for him in his working career.

Last November, Gillette Stadium held an informational meeting about the event, where DiDonato reviewed the logistics and was able to put his name in a pool of interested individuals. The informational meeting was packed with various athletic field managers, assistants and golf course superintendents at various levels from Division I schools in the Northeast, kindergarten through 12th grade managers, town crew workers and golf course superintendents. He says he couldn't put a number on the amount of people that signed up but there were over 200 people in the room.

He filled out a survey that highlighted everything that DiDonato was familiar with pertaining to field maintenance. The Head Sports Field Manager for Gillette Stadium, Ryan Bjorn, has known DiDonato for years and thought he would be a great fit for this opportunity.

For DiDonato to be one 36 individuals picked from the Northeast to work field maintenance at Gillette Stadium during the World Cup is a true honor.

DiDonato’s responsibilities consisted of mowing practice fields, the game field, painting and running string for mowing and painting. They had two teams to set up and break down the practice goals after warm-ups. A team repairing divots and finally watering the pitch before opening ceremonies. At halftime they would walk the field repairing divots with mini pitch forks while the pitch was being watered again.

DiDonato and his team were in the stadium only on game days. The other days were spent on the New England Patriot’s practice fields, mowing, painting, among other tasks. He also worked on the New England Revolution fields doing the same thing. On non-game World Cup game days, DiDonato was in the stadium a few times for seeding, pulling string for various jobs, taking off the grow lights, or putting them on every day.

“Before the last match the field team had to stand in as soccer players to rehearse opening ceremonies,” said DiDonato. “We got to play the part of the athletes and walk out with the (children) that were in attendance and it was fantastic to see it from the athlete's vantage point. What a way to wrap up an amazing experience.” <