Palma Ceia Little League: PCLL News: Open Letter - Field Conditions
Open Letter - Field Conditions
Directors, Managers, Coaches, and Team Coordinators -
We've been lucky so far this spring - While the rain has caused a few rain-outs, it has also helped keep our fields green, growing, and in excellent condition. If you were at the park today, it's definitely a different story. It's hot and dry. During this time of the year, there's no way for our irrigation system to keep up with the drying of the day. While it's unlikely we can expect to keep the outfields as good as they've been, please help us on the infields...
After every game (when there is no game scheduled to follow), please bring out the hose and spot water some of the "hot spots" in the turf. These are areas that have dried out and the grass is wilting. If you're careful to put down just enough water, you can wet down these spots before the game too so that the grass will regain turgidity (I was an Ag major and had to use the word - I'll get in to evapotranspiration rates later) before the game is played. Regardless, please help wet down dry spots in the infields when you see them.
Also, it's very helpful to groom the clay on the mound and at the batter's box at the end of each game - that makes it 100 times easier for the volunteers preparing the field for the next game. I've noticed that you guys on Field C are not keeping up with this, and my experience with that clay in the batter's circle is that it gets hard as a rock and if you don't work it after each game, you're going to be kicking yourself as the weather dries up.
Thanks for all your help making Palma Ceia a great place for our kids to play ball.
Steve Stanford
President (and BS AG 1986)
PS - During our 9:00 AM game today on Field A, I spotted some guy watching the game on Field C with his 8 lb dog on a leash. Keeping my commitment not to address "park" issues during Yankees games, I stayed focused on the game (that didn't help our team much, but it's my rule). After the game, I told the guy that it's a City ordinance that dogs aren't allowed in the park. He told me he thought that dogs weren't allowed on the fields and I confirmed that they're not allowed in the park. He got a little offended and told me he was leaving. Offering some leniency, I told him he could stay and just not bring the dog back to the park. That didn't help - he abruptly left and was none too happy with me. My problem is that there were at least a dozen other volunteers who are privy to these emails that didn't say a peep to him. I need some help enforcing these rules regardless if someone brings a 15 lb King Charles Spaniel or a 150 lb Pit Bull. If we all agree on the rules, please kick in and help enforce them!
