| How
to Conquer Your Greatest Time Killer |
| April
16 , 2007 -- Issue 8 |
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| Better
Fields for Better Play |
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Why
you'll never get it all done...
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Why you're overlooking essentials...
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What you must do NOW to get ahead
I get so anxious
sometimes to work on a ballfield that I don't take time to plan.
After all, I've worked on so many baseball fields and softball fields
that I should know what I'm doing by now.
What I'm talking about here is your pre-season effort or the work
you do before hosting tournaments.
Unfortunately, I've learned the hard way that it’s better
to do 15 minutes of planning before you start these major projects.
That way you'll incorporate the right materials, the
right equipment, and the right labor to get the job done.
A little time up front will save you a lot of headaches later that
just eat up your time. What eats up your time? Things
like extra trips to the store for parts, running out of chalk, a flat
tire on your tractor, dull mower blade, bend base peg, broken field
equipment, missing field drag, faulty sprinklers, etc.
Here's how to get on top of this.
Use a ballpark audit checklist. Go through the checklist
and think about the condition of your ballpark. Some of the
audit can be done right at your desk. Other items require that
you get out and walk the area.
When you are done, you'll know exactly what your ballfield condition
is and exactly what you need to do to fix problem areas or prevent
something from becoming a problem.
Here's
what your audit checklist should cover:
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Playing
Surface – Infield Dirt Area
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Playing Surface – Grass
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Playing Surface – General Areas
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Bases & Anchoring
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Fencing
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Spectator Areas
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General Safety of the Ball Park
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Dugouts
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Lighting
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Other hazards
I've found that
a checklist is the way to go. It also shows me where the priority
areas area: safety. I'm sure you could make up your own checklist,
or just go out and walk your entire field and take notes.
If you want a starter checklist that I've used, try
this:
Save
Time with Preseason or Pre-Tournament BallPark Checklists
Have fun!
Yours for better play more often,
J.
Reiner
Jim Reiner
Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper
The Ultimate
Baseball Field Renovation Guide
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