AstroTurf Great Lakes has announced the hiring of Corey Scheel, CAA, as Illinois Sales Manager, strengthening the company’s ability to serve schools, park districts, athletic departments, and communities across the state. Scheel brings a rare customer-side perspective to the role, combining more than a decade of athletic administration experience with firsthand leadership on major facility improvement projects.
Scheel joins AstroTurf Great Lakes after serving as Director of Athletics and Facilities Rental Coordinator at Martin Luther High School in Greendale, Wisconsin, where he led athletic programming, facility planning, scheduling, budgeting, and capital improvement initiatives. His background includes 13 years of leadership in high school athletics and direct experience managing a $3.5 million outdoor facility renovation that included a new turf field, track, lighting, and scoreboard.
That experience gives Scheel a clear understanding of what athletic leaders face when planning and executing facility projects. During his time in athletics, he managed a $350,000-plus annual operating budget across 21 programs, generated more than $75,000 in annual facility rental revenue, and led a team of more than 50 coaches and staff. He also brings experience in vendor coordination, long-term facility planning, stakeholder communication, and athletic program development.
“We are thrilled to have Corey Scheel join our team at AstroTurf Great Lakes,” said Mark Staten, Director of Sales for AstroTurf Great Lakes. “Corey is someone whom park and rec leaders, athletic departments, and their communities can trust and rely on for guidance during the creation of sports complexes. His working knowledge gained during decades of high school athletics, combined with his recent experience spearheading improvements in his own community, adds a valued perspective from the athletic leadership side of field improvement.”
“The state of Illinois has gained a valuable asset in the sports turf community,” Staten added. “I have witnessed Corey’s tireless pursuit of finding the answers and applying them quickly and proficiently. He will bring a fresh perspective to the synthetic turf industry in the state of Illinois and to our team at AstroTurf Great Lakes.”
For Scheel, the move into AstroTurf is a natural extension of his work serving student-athletes, coaches, schools, and communities. His resume also includes athletic leadership roles at Racine St. Catherine’s High School and Martin Luther High School, coaching experience in basketball and softball, and recognition as the 2025 WADA District 7 Athletic Director of the Year and 2019-2020 WBCA Athletic Director of the Year.
“After more than a decade serving as an athletic director, I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the table making decisions about athletic facilities,” said Corey Scheel, Illinois Sales Manager for AstroTurf Great Lakes. “That experience gives me a unique perspective on what schools, park districts, and communities need throughout the planning process. Over the years, I developed a genuine passion for the sports construction industry and the impact that well-designed, high-quality facilities have on student-athletes and the communities they serve.”
“Joining AstroTurf Great Lakes allows me to continue serving the athletic community in a new way,” Scheel added. “I’m excited to help organizations improve their facilities, bring their vision to life, and create spaces that will positively impact athletes for generations. I’m grateful for the opportunity to join a company with such a strong reputation and look forward to building lasting relationships across Illinois.”
As Illinois Sales Manager, Scheel will support customers through the planning, development, and execution of synthetic turf projects across the state. His background as an athletic director gives AstroTurf Great Lakes another trusted voice for organizations navigating complex facility decisions, from early concept and budgeting through design, construction, and long-term performance planning.
