The love affair began in high school. Now, after more than a decade, he can tell what's wrong with a quick glance. There's frustration at times, challenges and problems to solve, but it has grown stronger.
It's love.
And it's grass.
Matt Bruderek loves grass, like all top-notch groundskeepers do, and he's been working with and loving Orlando City's practice fields for the past two years.
"Going to baseball games growing up, the field just looked so amazing," said Bruderek, 30. "That's what really got me interested. It's hard to describe. Just walking out on these fields in the morning and having them be pristine.