BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL be made of concrete , block or a modular wall system . Certain systems enable easy net removal for extreme weather conditions such as tornadoes , hurricanes or cold winters . Doing so will add extra life to the net . Switching to netting will be the most noticeable improvement you can make , and it will affect the biggest number of people visiting the field .
BARRIER NETTING Barrier netting is becoming increasingly popular every day at the MLB and MiLB levels . It also is becoming more popular at multiuse / multifield complexes . When determining your needs for barrier netting , first decide what you are trying to protect . It could be protecting a nearby playground or parking lot , or just the people who are too busy on their phones instead of watching their kids play . Either way , selecting the appropriate height will be very important to ensure that nothing bad happens . Like backstops , barrier nets provide good flexibility to go upwards of 40 feet in height and let you span much farther between poles than chain link fences — helping increase sightlines .
DUGOUTS Dugouts can be upgraded simply by adding accessories such as a bat / helmet rack or new benches , or by adding padding and netting to the front of your dugout . Any of those items will dress up dugouts and make them more usable for the players . If it is in the budget to do more , there are a few more options from which to choose . Dugouts can be below field grade , or at field grade . Building dugouts below field grade may limit the options or styles of dugouts you can choose . If you don ’ t go that route , there are several dugout packages that will add a professional look . With dugout packages , pay attention to the structural forces that the dugouts are engineered to absorb . Dugouts can become expensive quickly , so having a clear plan and understanding your needs is crucial to staying within budget .
BATTING CAGES Outdoor batting cages can provide a nice practice / warm-up facility all season long . The setup can be customized by positioning cages side by side or end to end . There are attachments available for additional hitting stations to make the most of the setup . With any batting cage , it is always recommended to hit and throw from a mat on top of the turf , so as not to wear out those two high-traffic areas .
sportsfieldmanagementonline . com December 2023 | SportsField Management
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