Congratulations to Bryan Sheetz and his turf management classes at Thomas Dale High for winning another huge award!
Each year, the Sports Field Management Association presents its prestigious awards to members who manage sporting grounds at three levels: professional, collegiate and K-12 schools/parks. Only 11 sites were honored in 2025 for providing quality, safe playing surfaces. The stadium field at Thomas Dale High was named the nation’s top sporting grounds in the schools/parks category.
Previous awards for the Thomas Dale turf team include:
In 2025, Sheetz was selected as the Teacher of the Year for Thomas Dale High and also won a $14,300 R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence to visit sporting facilities across the United States and attend conferences to learn best management practices related to turf.
For three years in a row (2023-25), the Thomas Dale turf management program won the Pioneer Athletics Fields of Excellence award for keeping school fields in excellent condition.
In 2025, Thomas Dale High won the state title at the Future Farmers of America turfgrass competition.
In 2023, the Thomas Dale baseball field was named Field of the Year by the Virginia Sports Field Managers Association.