Collin Meyers, a 2010 graduate of the turfgrass science program in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, will accompany the Atlanta Falcons as they take the field at the Super Bowl in Houston on Sunday.

Meyers, a State College native, has been a grounds assistant for the Falcons for the past three seasons. He and his counterparts maintain a 50-acre complex and are responsible for all grass and landscape features, including three grass football fields used by the team for practice and play. It’s a dream job, according to Meyers.

“I absolutely love being able to work outside every day,” he said. “And it’s awesome to be able to put out a product that my co-workers and I have worked really hard on during the whole season and to provide the players with a safe surface to play on throughout the year. Just being around big-time athletes and being able to say that you work for an NFL team is pretty cool.”

There are unexpected opportunities in working with a professional football franchise. Early in his work with the Falcons, Meyers was asked if he would be comfortable helping to set up the digital tablets in the coaches’ booths. Now, in additional to assisting at home games, he also travels with the team to make sure the technology is running smoothly. When his team made it to the Super Bowl, Meyers was invited to join them on gameday.

“The owner was generous enough to give us complimentary tickets as well as airfare and hotel. I’m really excited to be able to take my family to experience the Super Bowl. I know it’s not something that everyone gets to do,” he said.

Although he will not be working on turf maintenance at the Super Bowl, Meyers expects to see a few familiar faces. In his time working within the NFL, he has become familiar with the network of turf professionals maintaining grass and landscaping for industry. “We have meetings at the end of each season, and it changes city to city,” he noted.

Read the full article here!