| What
you're going to do Your
field needs a warning track.
It should extend around the entire field. The warning track provides player
safety and reduces wear of turf in front of the dugouts and around the
home plate area.
How you do this
- Mark off the boundary
of your warning track. For example, 10 feet for a high school field.
- If you are building
a new warning track, use a sod cutter or a smooth bucket tractor to
cut the grass out of the warning track area. If you are adding warning
track material, then cut this at least 3 inches deeper than the base
of the sod. Remove the sod and weeds from the field.
- Add warning track
material. This could take several truck loads.
- Spread. Drag.
- Roll to help settle
the material.
- Drag the warning
track with the same technique and drag used on the infield dirt.
- When you drag the
infield, drag the warning track to keep it maintained - weed free and
smooth.
Tips &
Hints
- A warning track
can be made from a variety of materials. Make sure the material is different
in color and texture from the rest of the playing field.
- A good mix for
the warning track is 50% decomposed granite and 50% crushed, 1/8 inch
red brick. For
more info about baseball dirt for your field including the warning track,
check here.
- Little league warning
tracks vary from 5 feet to 10 feet, but most are about 6 feet. High
school warning track should be at least 10 feet wide. College level
should be 15 feet.
- A good width is
one that your drag can cover from side to side in either one or two
passes. Keep the drag off the grass!
- A typical high
school field will need about 35 yards of material to put in a good warning
track. This takes 3 dump trucks.
Mistakes to avoid
Ignoring your warning
track and letting it become overgrown with weeds and grass. Then it no
longer serves its purpose - a warning track.
|
warning track in need
of attention!
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