Spring Break
Student paints Super Bowl XLIII field
Perry Robbin
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: News
Kyle Carney watched Super Bowl XLIII right from the sidelines.
"I had Larry Fitzgerald running right towards me," said Carney.
He also painted those sidelines.
Carney, a 4th-semester turfgrass management major at UConn, was the only student to work on Super Bowl XLIII's grounds crew.
He won a national competition held by the Toro Company to receive that honor. Toro selects one turf science student from the United States to serve on the crew for professional football's most important game of the year.
Carney received an e-mail from Jason Henderson, assistant professor of plant science in the college of agricultural and natural resources, at the beginning of the semester about Toro's contest. Carney said he knew he wanted to apply as soon as he heard about it.
He won the competition in part because he painted a replica football field, complete with lines and logos, on his backyard. This went above the 500 word essay and letters of recommendation required by Toro. He said that the officials at Toro liked the inventiveness of his application.
Calling Carney an "excellent student," Henderson also pointed out Carney's unique application as the reason he won. Henderson lauded Carney's knowledge and passion for turf science.
Carney's work began when Toro flew him, expenses paid, to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. He arrived on Jan. 25, one week before the Super Bowl and began working soon after.
As part of the trip, Carney had to keep a journal of his experiences.
The crew for the Super Bowl numbered 24 people and was gathered from grounds crews across the country. Carney said this was a small crew for the Super Bowl and the size was due to budget cuts by the NFL.
The entire crew lived in a condominium complex rented out by the NFL. Carney said that the perks, besides an individual condo, included a flat screen TV.
Unfortunately, the grounds crew didn't have much time to enjoy them.
"I had Larry Fitzgerald running right towards me," said Carney.
He also painted those sidelines.
Carney, a 4th-semester turfgrass management major at UConn, was the only student to work on Super Bowl XLIII's grounds crew.
He won a national competition held by the Toro Company to receive that honor. Toro selects one turf science student from the United States to serve on the crew for professional football's most important game of the year.
Carney received an e-mail from Jason Henderson, assistant professor of plant science in the college of agricultural and natural resources, at the beginning of the semester about Toro's contest. Carney said he knew he wanted to apply as soon as he heard about it.
He won the competition in part because he painted a replica football field, complete with lines and logos, on his backyard. This went above the 500 word essay and letters of recommendation required by Toro. He said that the officials at Toro liked the inventiveness of his application.
Calling Carney an "excellent student," Henderson also pointed out Carney's unique application as the reason he won. Henderson lauded Carney's knowledge and passion for turf science.
Carney's work began when Toro flew him, expenses paid, to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. He arrived on Jan. 25, one week before the Super Bowl and began working soon after.
As part of the trip, Carney had to keep a journal of his experiences.
The crew for the Super Bowl numbered 24 people and was gathered from grounds crews across the country. Carney said this was a small crew for the Super Bowl and the size was due to budget cuts by the NFL.
The entire crew lived in a condominium complex rented out by the NFL. Carney said that the perks, besides an individual condo, included a flat screen TV.
Unfortunately, the grounds crew didn't have much time to enjoy them.
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