Baseball is Different

Feel you on this one.

Besides raking, etc.

Kids have to take up the heavy tarp before practice, then lay out after practice.

They often give up lunch to put the tarp down if rain is in the forecast.

many do not show up for this or 'missed your text, coach", just the dedicated kids make the sacrifice, and some have hurt their backs doing this. 

Their field looks like Bill Murray should be the groundskeeper as it is full of pockmarks and 'gopher holes', so unsure the tarp does much at all.

The football/lacrosse/soccer field was redone two years ago - new turf, lighting, etc.

None of those sports have won a state title to my knowledge,

while baseball has won 2 so go figure why they got the new field & baseball suffers.

True, but other than perhaps golf, what outdoor sport depends on the quality of the playing surface as much as baseball does?  Given that it matters so much, it's inevitably up to the coach/team to take care of things.  I've seen fields that are left to the grounds keepers...not a pretty sight!

Baseball IS different....and that's a GOOD thing!  Yes, the players have to take some ownership of their fields because who wants a hole for home plate, or to slide into a crater at second?  They keep up with the field so they can use it.

On the other hand they are also one of the few sports where appearances count.  I believe it was covered in an earlier thread that no matter your pop time, no matter your speed you had BETTER look the part of a baseball player...while some other sports can be recruited while in a recliner chugging a beer!  They get full rides, your kid will be lucky to get 25%.

Baseball is different, but for my son, it's the sport that is teaching him responsibility.  Responsibility of his own items, the team items and even keeping his "home" field in top shape...I thank goodness that Baseball is different!

So true and it's not until high school ball that most players really see how much work goes into maintaining the fields. There may be a few kids who help their dads with field maintenance during younger league play or help out during a league preseason prep day, but most don't know the actual day-to-day requirements until they hit high school. With the surge in travel ball, I bet a lot of kids have never had to rake, water or drag on a regular basis. My son got a crash course last summer and fall. Especially in how to take care of a dirt mound after each game and how to properly lay and secure the tarps. On top of that, the coach decided to lay grass in the dirt base paths from home to 1st and home to 3rd last fall. That required a lot of digging, moving dirt and transporting sod. Only a couple hard core kids showed up for that job.

This is one aspect I love about baseball and watching my son.  He had a lot of pride in his high school field being probably the best one in his conference, knowing he had a bit part in it.

My daughter started playing club volleyball this year,and their season is now.  They have to set up the nets, put the court divider down, put up the basketball nets before practice and then have to tear it all down when they are done.  But it's basketball season so I guess that has priority.  No biggie, it's nice they learn to do all this instead of the custodians at the school.

Originally Posted by JCG:

…And that is the requirement that baseball players take responsibility for their fields and equipment….

I will say that that’s true for the vast majority of HS players, but it’s not at all rare that schools have “ground crews” who do all the “dirty” work. It all depends on how much $$$$$ the parents are willing to spend.

Many of this depends on the coach. My sons, have had coaches that could care less about the field, so it is a quick drag after practice or games. To the coach that makes each player responsible for their position. When my son played OF his job was to clean up and sweep out both Dugouts, while the pitchers took care of the mound, infielders stowed bases closest to their position and raked their part of the infield Corner outfielders took care of the bull pen mound on their side. 

When son got to college it is much the same. He is a PO now so he takes care of the mound whether he pitches or not. 

In the off season I have seen the coach redo the infield. It was not because the school was cheap, it was because he wanted the field done his way.