UConn turfgrass student will maintain the Super Bowl field

A student from the University of Connecticut won the opportunity to work on the turf for Super Bowl XLIII
A student from the University of Connecticut won the opportunity to work on the turf for Super Bowl XLIII
A University of Connecticut student won't just be heading to this year's Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, he will be helping to prepare the field for the game as part of a scholarship package he won.

Kyle Carney, a second-year student in the Turfgrass Science program won a competition to head to this year's big game by turning his parents' backyard into a football field complete with the Super Bowl XLIII logo.

"My parents are very supportive," Carney told the EastBayRI.com of his efforts to turn his parents' backyard into a mini-Raymond James Stadium. "I’ve done a few of those in the past, like the Patriots and Red Sox logos in the backyard. They grow out in about a week."

Carney already has a degree in economics, but decided to return to school to pursue a career in the professional sports turfgrass industry. In addition to being a student at UConn, Carney also works on the ground crew for the Boston Red Sox' minor league affiliate in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Next week Carney will head to Florida to help a team of 30 grounds crew maintain the turf for one of the most watched sporting events in the world.ADNFCR-2034-ID-18991401-ADNFCR