Supervisor maintains fields of dreams

Story posted December 21, 2011 in Sports by Ryan Loy

 He has arguably as much influence on Penn State sports as any coach or player. But he doesn't do it for the fame.

He puts in long hours each week - often more than 70 -- helping the Nittany Lions' athletic teams. But he doesn't do it for the money, probably because there isn't a lot.

He is driven as any athlete who competes during practice or games. But before they take the fields, he must make sure they are ready.

As Penn State's supervisor of outdoor athletic facilities, Herb Combs' job isn't limited to throwing fertilizer on Beaver Stadium's field and mowing the grass. He directs seven full-time workers and up to 30 student workers to ensure that all the athletic fields are in pristine shape.

The 32-year-old Combs is a supervisor, communicator, teacher, mentor, husband, father and outdoorsman. Some days he also plays the role of scientist, meteorologist and athletic director-balancing all the tasks at once.

"My passion and desire is sports, and to provide something for the athletes, whether they recognize or not," Combs said. "Something they take some enjoyment out of, and they can take some pride in saying, 'We've got this awesome facility. To see them do well on the facilities you take care of, I think you have to have that drive in life."

Combs and his crew are responsible for maintaining every outdoor athletic facility except Penn State's baseball field. They also paint the course for cross country and take care of the grass parking lots - converting some to intramural fields just two days after home football games.

It's a busy schedule for the 2002 Penn State graduate, but his serious, no-nonsense demeanor is ideal for the job.

His path to turfgrass maintenance began as a young boy growing up near his grandparents' dairy farm in Union City, Pa.  Combs loved the outdoors. But his early dreams of being a farmer diminished during his teen years when he realized local farms were "going to the wayside."

As a high school junior, he walked into the guidance counselor's office and told her he wanted to go to Penn State and work outdoors.

"Well, did you ever think about turfgrass management?" she asked. Combs knew a friend who was in the program, so he decided to pursue the major and began working at a golf course that summer.

When he arrived at Penn State, he joined the Beaver Stadium grounds crew under the direction of Bob Hudzik, who had been in charge of field maintenance since 1977. Through his hard work, Combs distinguished himself to Hudzik..

"I've gone through probably hundreds [of student workers], it might even be well over 1,000, but there are certain people that stand out when they're working for you. He was one that actually stood out," Hudzik said. "You could tell he seemed to have his head on straight. He was one that knew he wanted to go in this direction."

After graduation, Combs took a job at the University of Minnesota similar to the one he currently holds at Penn State.  But he and Hudzik kept in touch. When Hudzik, 30 years into his job, decided he could no longer direct everything himself, he decided to contact his former mentee.

"It took me that long to realize I was just killing myself," Hudzik, now 57, said of running everything alone. "I said to our athletic director that I was going to hire an assistant."

Combs accepted the position and moved back to State College, where he worked as Hudzik's assistant for five years. When Hudzik retired in June, Combs was the obvious choice to replace him.

Now, Combs is in his first full season heading the grounds crew. Heavy rain this fall hasn't made his transition easy.

On a Wednesday of an away football week, Combs could focus on facilities other than Beaver Stadium. Just after noon he instructed the members of his crew in a meeting room outside his office.

The nerve center for the grounds crew is on the second floor of the field maintenance building. From the outside it looks more like a mechanic's garage than an office building, but a walk up the steps leads to a clustered area where Combs and his workers discuss each day's tasks.

The post-lunch meeting marked the second time Combs planned with his crew that day. The morning shift began with a similar gathering at 7.

Once the workers received their specific duties, Combs followed them down the steps to a Ford pickup truck. It's a work vehicle, but it's similar to the Chevrolet Silverado he owns - good to use when he finds time to go hunting or fishing.

After a short drive to Beard Field, Penn State's softball complex, Combs helped workers remove the tarp from the infield. A large puddle, which had formed in centerfield when water ran off the tarp, disappeared into the sand-based field in just minutes.

After watching radar and weather forecasts all morning, Combs concluded they had a window of dry weather that would allow them uncover the field.

"Softball has to practice later today," he said. "They have a big tournament coming up."

While the workers were all dressed in old clothes and muddied sneakers, Combs looked more like a beloved Nittany Lion icon. Combs wore a blue Penn State polo shirt, khaki pants and black Nike sneakers, the same outfit coach Joe Paterno often wears.

But Combs' short, blonde hair tucked under a baseball cap showed his relative youth - just 10 years older than some of his student workers. And aside from his appearance, senior Bill Foringer said Combs can relate to his workers on a more personal level.

"He went through the same program as us, so he knows the ins and outs," said Foringer, who in his first full year on the grounds crew. "He's a good teacher. He's busy, but he does make a point to come around and help us and answer any questions we may have."

While helping with the softball tarp, Comb received two phone calls. He gave instructions on what to do at the West Campus fields to one caller and told the next caller he'd meet him in a few minutes.

Combs said he tries to keep track of what everyone is doing, but it's hard to know where every crew member is and what they're doing at all times. Rather, he said, he relies on his full-time staff "to know what to do and when to do it and how to do it."

Combs gave a few more instructions at the softball field crew before getting back into his truck and driving away. He drove with the windows open and occasionally spit out the driver-side window to clear a congested throat.

"Daycare blues," he said. "Been battling it for weeks."

Combs and wife Christina have a 3-year-old son, Trey. They live in a townhouse north of campus where, thankfully, no yard work is needed. Combs' long hours are tough on the whole family, but he said their support is crucial to succeeding in his job.

Christina can relate to her husband's devotion to sports. The two met when he worked at the University of Minnesota and she was an outfielder for the Golden Gopher women's softball team.

She said it's difficult having a son who "loves and adores" his father and "asks where he is every night." But they work through it, and Trey even has chances to play on the fields his father maintains.

"My feeling is that our family sacrifices so much for Penn State that we are going to enjoy the facilities," said Christina. "We are going to take pride in the work that he does. I'm a very proud wife."

One of Trey's favorite places is Jeffrey Field, Penn State's soccer stadium, the first university sports facility he ever went to. When there, Trey runs up and down the bleachers and gets to go on the field after the games.

As Combs continued his rounds, he parked the truck outside Jeffrey Field and greeted Pete Landschoot, a Penn State turfgrass professor. The two walked on the field and quizzed each other, often sounding like two professors, although Combs said he's simply a "real-world teacher." They walked along the surface and picked out the smallest flaws -- things normal bystanders would never notice.

Just outside Jeffrey Field, they spotted a slight discoloration on the practice field.

"I've seen this in  ..." Landschoot started to say.  "... Oregon," said Combs finishing his thought.

The two discussed possible causes for the problem: limited sunlight from the bleachers, or perhaps, chemicals? There's not a sure answer.

"There's a science to it," Combs said of maintaining turfgrass. "People who are successful at understanding the science generally have success."

As Combs drove back to his office, he checked the sky and noted it looked like it might rain again. He immediately thought about the uncovered softball field and said that sometimes "you have to roll the dice."

Add gambler to his list of titles.

With his responsibilities, Combs watches games unlike anyone else. So when Penn State running back Silas Redd caught a swing pass for 18 yards against Eastern Michigan early in the season, it was more than just a first down to Combs. Redd immediately cut to the left after the catch to avoid a defender and zigzagged between several others before four players brought him down.

While the rest of the stadium watched Redd's shifty moves, Combs saw the ease in which the running back cut on the grass during a game played just a day after a deluge of rain pounded the field.

"That right there, for me, was fulfilling enough for the whole year," Combs said. "With the weather conditions we had, that athlete would not have been able to make those moves. You didn't see a piece of sod go up. You didn't see any sand fly. We provided natural conditions for that kid to display his athletic ability."

Of all many tasks, maintaining Beaver Stadium's field is the one that most people notice.

Combs said he and his crew spend anywhere from 30 to 40 hours working on the football field during the week of a home game. Aside from maintaining the grass, they must paint the lines and end zones, as well as put the tarp on the field in the event of inclement weather. He said it's all about presentation and "making sure the playing conditions are perfect for game time."

During home football games, Combs stands on the sidelines and watches for divots or pieces of turf coming up. If there are wet conditions, he decides if the band can play on the field before the game or at halftime. It may seem like a simple decision, but Combs knows that for some people it's much more.

Growing up a Penn State fan, Combs knows all about the Blue Band's game traditions. He sat with his father in the first row of Section ND, where they had season tickets. The couple who sat next to them loved the Blue Band.  He remembers the woman would get angry each time the band didn't get to play the halftime show because of bad weather.

Combs sees her about once a year now and saw her at the Eastern Michigan game.

"I remember when you were a little kid, and you used to jump up on the rail," she said to him. "We were on our way up here and there was concern the Blue Band wasn't going to get to play."

"Well, that's funny," Combs recalled telling the woman, "because I remember you always complaining about that. Now you know when the Blue Band isn't going on the field, it's my decision."

Looking back at that story, Combs sees the irony in it -- just as he does with having a hand in Penn State's tradition-rich football program, the program he grew up idolizing.

But he'll be the first to say he's not alone in keeping the university's athletic fields in top condition.

"I've had a lot of people who have taught me along the ways and a lot of guys that hold me up now," Combs said. "If I ever lose sight of that, shame on me."

"You're really only as good as the people who you surround yourself with and share the common goal," he said. "That's to provide the safest athletic fields that we can, day in and day out. That's our mission."

(This story was written for Comm 462.)