How to Budget a Youth Baseball Organization – Pt.2

Written By: Paul Zwaska Managing an organization’s financials is a lot like managing a business. And it is exactly how those who run an organization should look upon that duty. Businesses and organizations are always looking for ways to grow. In most cases, that growth cannot occur without money to carry it forward and a…

How To Budget A Youth Baseball Organization -Pt.1

Budgeting…  To some people, just the mention of this exercise can cause waves of panic and apprehension. But organizationally, it’s hard to be successful without one, especially if the organization manages and maintains its own ballfield facilities.

The History and Best Practices for Infield Topdressings

Written By: Luke Yoder and Paul Zwaska Back in the 1960’s, groundskeepers began incorporating different products into their infield skins to try to improve playability. These products were initially produced for the golf and automotive industries and consisted of diatomaceous earth, porous ceramics, and even crushed corn cobs.   They were referred to as amendments or…

Tips & Tricks for Midseason Maintenance

We hope your season is off to a great start! Even if you came out of the gate strong with a high-performing infield, it is always a good idea to take stock of how your infield is performing midway through the season.   Former MLB Groundskeeper and one of our resident DuraEdge Field Experts, Luke Yoder,…

A Former Groundskeeper’s Guide to Building a Quality Infield

BY LUKE YODER Fewer rainouts, reduced injuries, reliable hops, less maintenance are all achievable in your current venue. It won’t happen overnight, but improved consistency in your field quality is possible in the near term. Getting there means getting real about what’s being done to your field by nature and your grounds crew. The next…

Calcined Clay Conditioner: Maximizing the Benefits (Part 1)

If you remember back to our previous blog, we covered amending your infield based on science and recent innovation vs. tilling in calcined clay conditioner (CCC) as a cure all. This brings me to discuss what CCC is most beneficial for when implementing best maintenance practices on your infield skin.

Amending Infields: A Scientific Approach – Part 2

It has been 2 years since we did this project and they have not had to laser grade or bring in any additional material. No more washouts or scrambling after a rain event to get the field playable. They now enjoy an infield surface with increased performance and less maintenance.

Amending Infields: A Scientific Approach

WRITTEN BY: LUKE YODER Sports Field Managers (SFM’s) have been amending their infields since I got into the game in 1994.  This process has included (but not been limited to) tilling in sand, heavy clay, calcined clay conditioner (CCC), polymers, and even ground up corn cobs! Amending infields was not based on science, but determined on touch and feel (art), vendor recommendation, or what was…

Providing High Quality Infield Surfaces with DuraEdge Engineered Soils

WRITTEN BY: Luke Yoder

When DuraEdge Engineered Soils are properly installed they have been proven to improve safety, consistency, playability, and help mitigate costly rainouts. A DuraEdge surface will also decrease maintenance moving forward because of the soil’s ability to eliminate migration and deliver quicker re-entry following rain events with less conditioner required.