THE FIVE TOUGHEST JOBS IN SU SPORTS / PART ONE OF FIVE

When the rain pounded on the football field, the ground was left muddy from runoff. Grass was sparse. Football players had to take extra care in their steps to avoid injury on the loose turf. Holes were everywhere. The problems were charged to Lealon Castello to take care of.
Castello, 55, works as the athletic turf manager at Southern. His office sits in an old abandoned dorm under the concrete stands in A.W. Mumford Stadium, a spot he sought occupancy in so he can stay close to the field. Thursday held a light rain, so like an eclipse rare moment Castello was inside with a small television fixed on the weather channel.
“That’s a priority,” Castello said. “Knowing what the weather is going to be for the week.”
The channel forecasted light rain for the next two days so Castello said on those days he usually sharpens blades or maintains other cutting machinery. Other days he’s out in the Louisiana sun. In 2003, Southern rebuilt the football field with $500,000 in renovations, Castello said.
He demonstrated with his round hands if he went outside and cut a small block of the field out and pulled the grass up, he would get about six inches of healthy roots hanging onto the grass. The roots are a good indication of field quality. Sand is under the grass to maximize drainage and make a better cushion. Castello and his assistant Donnie Williams maintain the grass by fertilizing, watering and using insect treatment. The pair keeps up three fields: football, baseball and soccer. Compared to the old field, players appreciate the new field and take care of it.
“The last field was terrible,” said Josh Babineaux, a third-year linebacker. “It was hard, the grass was dying, and it felt like it was hard on our knees. Now it’s a big difference, it’s soft, its comfortable, it feels like we can move on it.”
Castello, a St. Francisville native, started working at Southern five years ago. Before working with the Jaguars he was at Exxon Chemical plant for 26 years. Castello got into caring for turf when his kids Craig, 21, and Steven, 19, started playing baseball. Their field was in the same shape as the old SU field. He wanted his kids to play on a better field, so he started studying his chosen trade.
“It’s a science to do it and do it right,” Castello said.
SU Baseball coach Roger Cador took notice of Castello’s work with the grass and called him over to Southern.
“When you look at people do something, first you look at the make up then you look at desire, you look at patience and love drive for that kind of work,” Cador said. “It’s a tough job because you don’t have all of the people you need to make it work.”