SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/126035
4. Fill in the hole around the rope and pack or tamp it down. Now the 1-inch stub sticking up marks the corners. You can rake and drag over them usually no problem. Then just chalk or paint as needed. No more hassles with a template. Some softball fields use pink rope and don't even chalk or paint the actual batter box outline. They just use the pink stubs as a visual for the box. These rope stubs usually will last the spring season, but do wear down over time. If you have problems with them coming out, you can also anchor them down with a large washer and a knot or with a large nail. But I try to avoid doing that. BEST TIP FOR HIGH SCHOOL Soak dirt before game time, manage the edge for a flat transition, and mow often. A hand pulled broom drag helps keep the dirt off the corners. These are light weight and wide. And they are simpler than getting out the riding tractor and a screen drag. Using a plastic fan rake helps remove dirt from the grass edges. Variations for turf edge management include blowing the dirt off or vacuuming it up also. For many youth fields, the plastic rake is quick and easy. BEST SUGGESTION FOR COLLEGE AND ABOVE Use mound clay, laser grade the infield, and manage the field for player safety. At the higher levels of competitions, firm footing and true bounces is a must for safety. Players will start and stop quickly. Ideally the field conditions should be consistent throughout a nine inning game. Therefore, you must use quality materials and techniques. YOUR MOST IMPORTANT FIELD MAINTENANCE TOOL OF ALL Water. A proper amount of water just makes everything better. Moisture management of the infield skin as well as the turf is just about the best thing you can do for your players. We all have ideas what a good playing surface is like. But ask the players. Seriously. Ask them if they prefer dry and loose versus moist and firm. My experience is that most prefer even a hard surface rather than one that blows out from under them. Water is the answer. It can make just about any dirt mix so much more playable. We can create a better baseball experience for our players, coaches, and fans. These lessons-learned and basic practices can do that for you. I believe sports programs can help our youth develop lifelong habits for success. And I sure don't want their dream to slip away due to a poor sports field. And I want to help men and women like you transform their sports fields into a field of dreams where our youth reach their fullest potential and you have no regrets. For the past 11 years I have refined my previous AAA baseball field maintenance skills by spending time with MLB and AAA groundskeepers, with sports turf managers, and with suppliers of field products for professional sports. During that period I also renovated 49 baseball and softball fields and had the privilege of consulting on hundreds of other new construction and renovation projects. n Jim Reiner is the field director for the Sunrise Little League in Orangevale, CA and assist with field maintenance at Valley Christian Academy in Roseville, CA. www.stma.org SportsTurf 27