What Does an Athletic Facilities Supervisor Do?
A rut in the base path can turn an otherwise routine practice into a twisted ankle, which is a steep price for a skipped chore, since a single pass with a rake could have prevented that injury. Athletic facilities supervisors make sure those chores get done, leading the crews who mow, line, water and repair a school's or college's fields and courts.
Also known as: Athletic Facilities Maintenance Supervisor, Athletic Facilities Foreman
Athletic Facilities Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an athletic facilities supervisor include:
- Assign daily mowing, lining, watering and cleanup jobs to grounds and facilities crews.
- Paint field lines and logos for football, soccer and lacrosse to league specifications.
- Prepare baseball and softball infields, mounds and batter's boxes before games and practices.
- Manage irrigation schedules and repair broken heads, valves and lines.
- Plan fertilizer, aeration, overseeding and pest control programs for each natural turf field.
- Groom and inspect synthetic turf fields and track infill levels and seam repairs.
- Maintain mowers, utility vehicles and field equipment, and schedule outside repairs.
- Coordinate field closures after heavy rain with coaches, athletic directors and schedulers.
- Order seed, soil, paint and parts within the grounds budget.
- Train crew members on safe equipment use and chemical handling, and evaluate their work.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an athletic facilities supervisor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Turfgrass management and soil basics
- State pesticide applicator license, where required
- Irrigation repair and scheduling
- Field marking and infield preparation
- Supervising seasonal and student crews
- Small engine and equipment maintenance
- Certified Sports Field Manager (CSFM) credential, a plus
- Early starts and game-day weekends
Education and Training
Grounds crew work comes first for most supervisors, who spend years mowing, lining and repairing fields before running a team of their own. According to BLS, a high school diploma and less than five years of related work are typical for supervisors of groundskeeping crews. Most states license crew leaders who apply pesticides on school or public grounds, and a turfgrass science program at a community college or university adds the science behind the work.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $47,390 - $72,590 per year, with a median of $58,430.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers.
BLS projects employment of first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service and groundskeeping workers, the group that covers this job, to grow about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. Across that group, about 23,900 openings a year are expected. Athletic field posts are a small, specialized share.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers.