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Toro Announces Winner of Super Bowl Sports Turfgrass Training Program12-01-16 | Education

Toro Announces Winner of Super Bowl Sports Turfgrass Training Program
Sean McLaughlin, Cal Poly Pomona Student

Congratulations to Sean McLaughlin, plant science major at Cal Poly Pomona, who was announced the winner of the Toro Super Bowl Sports Turfgrass Training Program.

The Super Bowl Sports Turfgrass Training Program was established by the Toro Company and the NFL in 2003 to recognize students who have shown exemplary leadership in turfgrass management.

This year's winner, Sean McLaughlin, a plant science major at Cal Poly Pomona, will work with NFL field director Ed Mangan, George Toma and the Super Bowl grounds crew at NRG Stadium in Houston on turfgrass maintenance, logo painting, field preparation for media day, halftime preparation and field clean-up for Super Bowl LI.

"I learned about the internship a little bit past the deadline last year, and was extremely excited to enter it this year," said McLaughlin. "Having the opportunity to work alongside legends like George Toma and Ed Mangan for the game of games is an indescribable feeling. I'm really looking forward to taking it all in, and learning everything I can during my time there."

McLaughlin is scheduled to graduate from Cal Poly Pomona and Mount San Antonio College in spring 2017. He is a groundskeeper at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Mount San Antonio College, and the Rose Bowl Stadium. In 2016 he was awarded first place in the STMA Student Challenge and was recognized in 2015 as Turf Student of the Year at Mt. SAC.