Dragging Field

[Chris O'Leary]

Guys, Why sand? I don't want any on the softball field. Sometimes, the wind blows it all towards the backstop and I remove it.

For texture, workability, and drainage.

When you have too much clay in the field, it can bake up under the heat and you are basically playing on concrete (and uneven concrete at that). Adding sand makes it easier to smooth out the field. It also makes it more likely that your cleats will bite into the ground.

 

[Coach661]

I am now in charge of upkeep of my field. It looks like some coaches have dragging the infield down to a science; it looks nice and smooth. Is there a certain pattern to use in dragging the field rather than just going around in circles? Thanks.

Go here, click on dragging patterns for softball
Diamond Pro | Field Dimensions

 

[coach D'E]

Something that we do on our field is to moisten the infield before we drag it. This does two things: It keeps the dust down, so the neighboring homeowners (and player) do not complain. It also makes the soil more workable. There have been some tournaments that I’ve attended where the infield was dragged in between games, only to have been blasted by a dust cloud. This would not have happened if the infield was a little wet before being dragged.