From perfectly painted sidelines to crisp mowing stripes, keeping Hilliard’s athletic fields looking their best takes more than just mowing grass. It takes patience, precision, and a lot of time outdoors.
For Zach Pearl, it’s all part of the job. And these days, he has a high-tech coworker helping out: a field-painting robot named Linus.
What made you want to go into turf management?
“I actually tried to avoid it at first because it’s what my dad does for the Lexington Legends baseball team. But I ended up working with him a few times and really enjoyed it and realized I could go to college for this. I love being able to work outside and work with my hands.”
What does your day-to-day look like?
“It varies a lot based on the day and the weather, but I oversee the Hilliard Athletic Complex and paint fields around the city, including Father Roderic J. DiPietro Park, Municipal Park, and the Hilliard Ohio Soccer Association Complex. We bounce around the city a lot so I feel like I’m always on the move.”
What’s something people don’t realize about this profession?
“There’s a lot of hard work and passion that goes into it. It definitely requires patience, and results don’t happen overnight.”
What’s the hardest part of keeping fields game-ready in Ohio?
“As you can imagine, the weather makes it very difficult to plan. Then there’s the constant traffic and wear and tear on the grass. It’s a plant, so it doesn’t like being beat up all the time. It’s a balance between keeping the grass happy and keeping people happy.”
How does Linus work, and how does he make your job easier?
“Linus is connected to a base station that communicates with 32 different satellites. He paints lines based on preset coordinates that I assign through my tablet. He makes my job a lot easier because I don’t have to string out and measure every individual field. What would take City staff weeks can now be completed in about three days with Linus’ help. He’s super accurate and very efficient. Depending on the field size, he can paint an entire field with less than a gallon of paint.”
If Linus had a personality, what kind of coworker would he be?
“Very meticulous and definitely Type-A. Maybe a little annoying with his habits, but always hardworking and getting better every day.”
What does the perfect field look like to you?
“Very green, sharp white lines, and nice straight mowing stripes through it.”
How does your work impact athletes, teams, and the Hilliard community?
“The goal is to provide a beautiful, safe playing surface for everyone to enjoy. Regardless of your age or ability, we want you to feel like you can come out and have fun on our fields.”
