As a coach it’s understandable that you spend a lot of time concentrating on teaching your players the necessary skills, strategy and mindset that they need to have fun on the field. Just like you teach your players how to properly take care of their batting helmet and catcher’s glove, don’t forget that the field and all of the safety equipment in it needs to be kept up as well! The field is a critical component to player safety and should never be overlooked.
A lot of times the playing field is taken for granted, until you come across a poor one of course. Rocky infields with deep depressions waiting to sprain player’s ankles, perimeter fences without their fence crown ready to be a cut hazard, there’s a lot of potential hazards. Nothing is worse than visiting another field during an away game and encountering these, so make sure your field isn’t developing this sort of reputation!
As always, the field should be well taken care of. Make sure that the playfield is level and any dips or holes are filled in. Along with routine inspections, you will want your players to inform you of any forming depressions or irregularities they encounter. You may even want to consider using a weighed down tarp (or even an infield cover if you have the budget) to help protect the field when inclement weather is on the way. This can not only save you time and costly damage repair, it can also be the difference between a good and bad game if tournament directors force play after a storm.
Your baseball nets should always be kept in good repair. Make sure that your nets are properly installed and all of the connectors are tight and none are in danger of rusting out or breaking. You’ll also want to regularly inspect the netting every month to make note of any fraying or holes and see to getting them repaired before your next game. Make sure that you’re looking over all of the netting on the field, and not just the batting area!
Why so much emphasis on the baseball nets? Especially if your field needs safety netting due to fan seating, you want to make sure that foul balls aren’t going to hurt any spectators or pedestrians. Alongside the player and bystander safety there’s also the benefit of preventing possible property damage. A broken windshield is hilarious in movies but not so funny on the field.
You’ll also want to regularly look over each baseball windscreen if your field has them, and make sure they’re secured. After strong winds and storms a lot of possible damage can accrue so it’s wise to maintain them. Nothing’s worse than a poorly attached windscreen having to be replaced because it blew away! These durable screens don’t just look nice and help to separate fields; they also help to keep out some of the windblown debris so you owe it to your groundskeeper and your players to keep them in good order.
Fencing is another often overlooked safety feature in baseball. Any fencing that is pulling away from the support post should be fixed quickly and properly to help prevent injury. Care should also be taken if there are any sharp edges from broken or cut wire and should be dealt with accordingly. You’ll also want to make sure that the fence crowns are tied down and in place. These plastic coverings protect players from the protruding wire fencing and are prone to falling off or even being blown away if the tie downs break.
A little extra care can save you money in the long run as well maintained equipment lasts longer than the alternative. It can also be all the difference for your players because a safe field means they can spend more time having fun instead of nursing wounds earned from poor field equipment. Besides, do you really want to have to explain to a concerned parent how one of your players hurt themselves on the field equipment while playing the game?
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