Our fields in Canada are pretty terrible to play on, shale instead of clay makes for some very tricky bounces. The pitching circle is really bad as the dirt inside and around it is so soft there seems to be virtually no way a pitcher can drive off the mound without disturbing a lot of dirt. Our best pitchers with a toe drag will create a very large trough in front of the rubber and most pitching rubbers have very large "holes" in front where the pitches drive toe presses in. Just looking for some tips on what can be done to make the area in front of the pitching rubber firmer, we don't play at the same diamond all the time so I don't want to go and dig up the pitching circle to put Bricks down to make it firmer if we only play there 1-2 times a year. Any help for what we may be able to do on a travelling basis would be greatly appreciated.
Pitching Circle
- Thread starter Olympctm
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- Feb 17, 2014
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The park where I was the TD would put clay down after every tournament to fill in the pitcher's mound and batter's boxes.
I wish, pretty sure that our's did that in the 70's when they put the diamond in. I just don't have the time nor the money to be dragging around clay and rebuilding every field before we play. Don't know if tamping will help, or some light water / soil mix and tamping or what
I know in Australia they often just drag out a pitching mat and pitch off that. If it isn't your field, that may not be an option.
Really all you can do is water and try to compact the area as much as possible. You are not alone - it is the same for over 75% of the places we go especially after the first game of the day. I have seen holes so deep that you couldn't see my daughters knee as her front foot landed. Pitchers for the most part learn to deal with it as best they can.
I am not a huge fan of playing on turf fields in general, but let me tell you our pitchers love it.
Really all you can do is water and try to compact the area as much as possible. You are not alone - it is the same for over 75% of the places we go especially after the first game of the day. I have seen holes so deep that you couldn't see my daughters knee as her front foot landed. Pitchers for the most part learn to deal with it as best they can.
I am not a huge fan of playing on turf fields in general, but let me tell you our pitchers love it.
Can you get bags of clay and just refill the spots that need it in the circle after the game? Drag the surface dirt out, dump the clay in, water, tamp, then push the surface mix back on top. Only takes a few minutes to do.
shaker1
Softball Junkie
I used some of the bagged clay from Turface our last home game. Worked very well
I agree with shaker1 Coach Foster...
Bags or buckets of clay are the way to go. Use broom to remove loose dirt from holes and troughs caused by pitchers...add water to wet the dirt in the bottom of holes & troughs...add clay...tamp clay...rake 1/4" of loose dirt on top of clay...lightly water the area. Do this routinely (after every game if possible).
I see the OP wants a solution for playing on a field only 1 or 2 times a year. Watering and tamping the existing dirt may make it better. Clay is best for a more durable surface.
Bags or buckets of clay are the way to go. Use broom to remove loose dirt from holes and troughs caused by pitchers...add water to wet the dirt in the bottom of holes & troughs...add clay...tamp clay...rake 1/4" of loose dirt on top of clay...lightly water the area. Do this routinely (after every game if possible).
I see the OP wants a solution for playing on a field only 1 or 2 times a year. Watering and tamping the existing dirt may make it better. Clay is best for a more durable surface.
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