Field Maintenance Page
To maintain our fields in the best possible playing condition, it is important to learn how to properly prepare a field before and after play. Contact the fields coordinator at [email protected] for information on "best practice" field care techniques.
Because Veterans Fields were re-done in 2016, a special set of maintenance instructions are to be used at those fields and can be found here: Veterans Fields Maintenance Checklist
In general...
Please follow the Golden Rule: Never scoop, shovel, push, sweep, plow, drag mat or otherwise move infield mix, mud or muddy water to the edge of the skin or onto the grass playing surface, including foul territory. Pick up and remove mud and water from the skin and dump it off the play area. You will cause damage to the field, that is very expensive to repair, if you do not follow this rule!!!
Acton and Boxborough Recreation Commission Field Use Policy
Purpose: To protect the playing fields from long term damage. Regardless of the weather, a practice or a game should not commence or continue on a field if:
1. The field has standing water on it.
2. The field is saturated with water.
3. By playing on the field, the players are or would be damaging the field beyond normal wear and tear (i.e. tearing up the turf, creating muddy areas, etc.).
4. Once a game begins, the referee or umpire is responsible for the decision to suspend a game due to the above or other conditions.
Additional considerations:
1. Softball and baseball fields are often playable even with standing water on the infield. As long as a field does not pose a hazard to the players it can be used. Criteria for turf on these fields should adhere to the guidlines listed above.
2. Each League will be required to appoint a contact person who is to be their designated contact person who is resposible for determining field playability.
3. Failure to adhere to this policy can result in a league or team forfeiting their field permit for the remainder of the season.
NOTE: The Baseball Fields used by ABYB that fall under Acton and Boxborough Recreation Commissions' Field Use Policy are Veterans Fields, MacPherson Field at Conant School, Flerra Field and Liberty Field.
Lining Fields
1. Rake the base paths (always rake in the direction of the runners, never towards any grass edges) and home plate area (remove first and third base if they are breakaway bases).
2. Use the home base template and string line to aid in guiding the line machine in a straight line.
3. Load line machine with just the amount of line marking powder that you need to complete the job. Overloading will cause the machine to jam on the next application.
4. Throw out empty bags of line marking powder in trash container.
5. Place line marking machine and unused line marking powder under cover when you are done. Wet line marking powder will jam in the machine!
Tarps
When the field is not in use tarps should be on home base and the pitchers mound at all times. A couple hours in the sun will dry out the clay making it loose. The tarp keeps moisture in the clay during sunny dry weather and prevents over saturation during humid wet weather.
1. Prior to a game or practice remove tarp spikes and place in a bucket. Please keep the spikes together so they don't get lost in the grass. Fold tarps (when conditions are dry fold them in place rather than dragging them off the field) and place them safely off the playing surface away from players baseball cleats, protected from the wind and off the grass play area (so the grass won't die under the tarp in the hot sun).
2. After you are done with play prior to replacing the tarp rake the skin surface at home and the mound. Rake from the grass edge towards the center of the circle. Never bring infield mix to the grass edge! When conditions are dry lightly wet the infield mix (if water is available) around home and the mound.
3. Replace the tarp (white side up) on the center of the home base and mound circle. Do not overlap the tarp onto the grass. The tarp will kill the grass or get damaged by a mower if it is off center.
4. Place spikes evenly around the edge to secure tarp. Realign the tarp if it is over lapping onto the grass surface.
Bulk Heads
Please keep Bulk Head doors closed when not attended. The safety latch is easily damaged if peolple lean on the open door. Replace or remove what you need from the Bulk Head and then release the safety latch and close the door.Bulk Head Operation Instructions: Use care in operating the doors. The torsion rod mechanism provides ease of operation. When the doors are fully open, the safety latches guard against accidental closing. To close each door, lift the operating arm (located on the inside of the door) to release the safety latch."Doors will become damaged if the doors are forced closed without first releasing the safety latch!!!!
Trash
There are trash bags in the bulk head storage bin at each field. Make sure all trash cans have a trash bag in it. It is not a fun job to empty a full trash can that did not have a trash bag in it! When you empty a trash can put a new liner in. If you are the last team turn the can upside down so it won't fill with water. Full bags need to be moved to designated areas at each field.
Vets - ABYB teams are responsible for moving trash from the field area up to the right of the shed. The Town of Acton will pick up trash (at the shed) Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Note there are also recycling bins for plastic bottles and cans specifically.
Conant School field (MacPherson) - Bring full bags of trash to the gate.