Approaching his third USA versus Mexico World Cup Qualification Match at MAPFRE Stadium, Columbus Crew SC Director of Grounds Weston Appelfeller is just as eager for this year’s game as he was for his first in 2009.
“We look forward to this every four years and hope it continues to be every four years,” he says. “As far as events working, USA-Mexico is by far the greatest event that I think me or any of my staff has probably ever worked.”
HOME OF THE BRAVE: #USAvMEX
Appelfeller started working for Crew SC in 2006 but spent time with the Philadelphia Union and Boston Red Sox between 2008-12. When it was announced that USA-Mexico would be returning to Columbus for the third time in history, he was working for the Red Sox. It didn’t matter — he wasn’t going to miss a significant opportunity.
“I literally just came back for that game,” he says. “I got in the night before, helped out a little bit, worked the game day and then drove back to Boston the next morning.”
He returned as a volunteer to experience the remarkable event that he’d only heard stories about, and his trip to Columbus for the match on February 11, 2009 ended up being pricey and wet.
WATCH: #CREWSC'S GUIDE TO COLUMBUS
“I got a speeding ticket on the way back, so it ended up costing me a ton of money to come back; but that’s alright.
“It poured rain that day, so we had to squeegee a lot of water—it was cold, it wasn’t fun, but when the game happened, it was awesome.”
For the third time in history, the U.S. Men’s National team beat Mexico in Columbus 2-0.
Appelfeller returned to the Capital City in 2012 as the Director of Grounds and has held the position ever since. MAPFRE Stadium hosted USA vs. Jamaica on September 11, 2012 in a World Cup Qualification match — great preparation for what was to come. The following year, Columbus was set to host the iconic USA-Mexico match once again.
READ: HISTORY OF DOS A CERO
“It was completely different; a lot more — even compared to MLS Cup in 2015, it was significantly more than that,” he says. “Extra cameras around and extra people and you’re on a tight schedule with training schedules and match commissioner walk-throughs. You’re really just working around everyone else’s schedule and trying to do your stuff in between when the field is being used and not being used.”
This year, they have more time to prepare than any previous big event held at the stadium, aside from matches held out of season in February. One would think that’s beneficial, right? Not so much.
“We haven’t had any events on the field since October 16th and we’ll be off until November 10th when trainings are out here. That’ll be the longest break we’ve had to get ready for one of these games in season. It’s just a lot more pressure, a lot less sleep at night. You wake up at 3 a.m. and start thinking about things you need to do to make the field a little bit better.”
The grounds guru compares the prep work to training for a marathon.
“Especially this time of year, with the grass starting to shut down because it’s getting cold, it’s really hard to figure out when to start ‘pushing the field.’ It’s similar to how a marathon trainer trains, where you get ready for it and you’re trying to get ready for it, you’re trying to get ready for it, and then you need a little bit of time right before it just to let it rest.
“So we’ve been doing a lot of renovation work — aerifying, fertilizing, all that kind of stuff, and trying to keep it growing, keep it green, and now we’re kind of in that rest state. So we’re not mowing, letting it grow, trying to let it fill in, be as nice as it can, and then there’s going to be the week of, another heavy push to make sure it’s where it needs to be. We’re just kind of going through the preparation now, letting it sit there and just let it collect its energy and get ready to go.”
Yes — grass collects energy; Appelfeller and his team know a thing or two about perfection, though. He and his team keep the grass at MAPFRE Stadium impeccable, winning the Turf Managers Association Field of the Year Award twice in three years (2013, 2015). Their experience gives them the skills to host a match of such magnitude — it’s just more pressure.
“This game, you know that the field absolutely, 100 percent, has to be perfect, no matter what,” he says. “You throw weather aside — you can’t control it but you have to try to plan for it. It doesn’t matter if it’s bad weather, the field still has to be perfect. If you have any kinds of events around it, doesn’t matter, the field still has to be perfect.”
No feedback on the field is good feedback. The pitch is expected to be great. With former Crew SC groundskeepers returning to MAPFRE Stadium on November 11, Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Football League (NFL) and the English Premier League (EPL) will all be represented.
“We always need extra help for this game,” he says. “It’s not just the field. It’s taking care of the landscaping and the practice fields with the team training there ahead of time. We need extra hands. Our normal staff is eight people or so. For this game, we’ll have 14.”
A team behind-the-scenes plays an important role in making the magic of MAPFRE Stadium come alive as it continues to be the spiritual home of U.S. Soccer. And once the legendary USA vs. Mexico has kicked off, the grounds guys soak up the atmosphere, hoping for a “Dos A Cero” finish like every other U.S. fan in Columbus.
“When you’re at field level — I tell all of our guys this that haven’t experienced it — it’s basically two-and-a-half hours of fans standing, screaming, chanting, waving flags. It is absolutely electric.
“When I was with the Red Sox, we were one game away from the World Series In 2008, we got beat by the Tampa Bay Rays. Game 5 was at Fenway Park, and it was an electric atmosphere and it was awesome.
“When I was at Ohio Stadium, I was on the field for Ohio State versus Texas in 2005, and 106,000 people in the stands, and USA-Mexico in 2013 and 2009 was more electric than any of those games.”
When people arrive at MAPFRE Stadium on November 11 with the hopes of witnessing the fifth straight Dos A Cero win for the USMNT, take a peek at the pristine pitch and recognize the vigilant, meticulous workmanship that is behind the allure of USA vs. Mexico in Columbus.
