Rick Newville - Olympian
Lands Post In Athens By Justin Rice (From the June 15, 2004 edition of The Daily Oklahoman) |
 Rick Newville In Athens, Greece |
The Putnam City West softball coach and assistant groundskeeper at SBC Bricktown Ballpark took leave from both posts to become the field crew supervisor and turf manager for the Olympic softball complex in Athens.
When you mow the fields you can see the mountains on one side, and when you go the other way you can see the Aegean Sea, Newville said during a phone interview, 59 days before the Aug. 13 opening ceremonies. Its a pretty nice place to work.
Worries about Olympic security havent fazed Newville.
He said he has been so busy preparing fields that he hasnt had time to worry about possible terrorist attacks. His mother, Margaret, also isnt worried.
From what he seems to say, security is pretty good, she said. Im concerned the closer it gets, but Im not really worried. When he first left I was quite concerned about it. But from some of the reports and what hes told me, it seems like the closer it gets theyre going to have more security.
I feel like hes safe over there.
| Newville said three bombs that exploded outside an Athens police station in May, exactly 100 days before opening of the Olympics, heightened awareness and made the city safer.
Everyone is more on their toes, Newville said. The security will be beefed up better than before. I think people are expecting things to happen. Test matches have been played on Newvilles fields and he said they are ready for competition. He also said the other venues are ready, minus some finishing touches. |
Rick Newville works on the field at SBC Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City prior to the 2002 Big 12 baseball tourney. |
Theres a few beautification things that need to be done, Newville said of the other stadiums. Just some aesthetic things.
Jim McGlynn, a friend of Newvilles and a writer for the Bethany Tribune, is friends with the manager of the Olympic softball stadium and told Newville about the Athens job.
Newville submitted his resume in October. It included the Sports Turf Managers Associations award for the national high school softball field of the year in 2002 and the national high school baseball field of the year in 2001.
But his work on Putnam Citys softball and baseball fields didnt give Newville an edge over other applicants, including several college groundskeepers. What helped most was his experience at Bricktown Ballpark under head groundskeeper Monte McCoy.
 Rick Newville enjoys some time with his nephew Jackson at Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta prior to departing for Greece via New York in January. |
Most softball fields are built on already existing soil, or native soil, but the Olympic fields are sand based, like the field at Bricktown.
I feel fortunate I got it, Newville said. I think most of the other applicants were used to working with native soil. I think because I had some experience with sand-based fields really helped with getting this job. Newville started working for McCoy in 2000 and learned how to fertilize sand-based fields with a broad range of nutrients. But now Newville is giving the orders instead of taking them. He has two assistants and 30 game-day volunteers. |
The best part is being able to implement my decisions and ideas, Newville said.
The worst part may be that he wont have time to watch any other events.
Its gonna be a full-time deal, he said. Ill probably work 6 a.m. to midnight. There will probably be some nights I stay at the stadium.
