Coach › Field setup and care
Field setup and care
How to measure the diamond for your age group, prep the dirt, and handle a wet field without damaging it.
Distances by age
| Age group | Base paths | Home to 2nd base | Pitching distance | Ball |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6U (T-ball or coach pitch) | 50 ft | 70 ft 8 1/2 in | Coach or tee, often about 30 ft | 11-inch, often softer |
| 8U | 55 ft | 77 ft 9 3/8 in | About 30 to 35 ft | 11-inch |
| 10U | 60 ft | 84 ft 10 1/4 in | 35 ft | 11-inch |
| 12U | 60 ft | 84 ft 10 1/4 in | 40 ft | 12-inch |
| 14U and older | 60 ft | 84 ft 10 1/4 in | 43 ft | 12-inch |
Common starting points. Rec leagues change these, especially for 6U and 8U, so check your league's rules. Pitching distance is measured from the back point of home plate to the front edge of the pitching plate.
The red line runs from home plate to second base. The pitching plate sits on that line at your age group's pitching distance, and the 8 ft pitcher's circle is drawn around it.
Placing the bases and pitching plate
- Start at the back point of home plate. Every measurement starts there.
- First and third base: measure the base path distance to the back outside corner of the base, so the whole base sits in fair territory.
- Second base: measure the home-to-second distance from the chart to the center of the base.
- Check that it's square: first base to third base should equal the home-to-second distance.
- Pitching plate: on the line from home to second, measure from the back point of home to the front edge of the plate. Many fields have more than one plate for different ages, so use the right one.
Double first base: if your field uses one, the white half goes in fair territory for the fielder and the colored half goes in foul territory for the runner.
Prepping the infield
- Pull the bases and plug the anchors before dragging, so the drag doesn't catch on them.
- Drag slowly, and stay about two feet from the grass edge. Rake the edges by hand. Dragging dirt into the grass builds a lip that makes ground balls bounce badly.
- Change your dragging pattern each time, so you don't wear grooves into the dirt.
- Hand rake around home plate, the bases, and the pitcher's circle.
- Fill holes in the batter's boxes and at the pitcher's landing spot with damp dirt or clay, and tamp it down firmly.
- Lightly water very dusty dirt if you have a hose. It plays better and holds chalk.
- After the game, rake the low spots back level and refill holes, so the next team doesn't start with puddles.
After rain
Is it too wet? If you leave footprints, mud sticks to cleats, or water stands on the infield, it's too wet to drag or play. Playing on a soaked field gets players hurt and damages the field for weeks. Follow your league's and park's rules about closing fields.
When a field is close to ready
- Never sweep or squeegee puddles off the dirt. It carries dirt away, makes the low spot deeper, and builds a lip at the grass edge.
- Soak up standing water with puddle sponges or a pump, and dump the water off the field.
- Loosen the wet spots by pushing a rake away from you with light pressure, which helps them dry.
- Use drying agent sparingly, and only after the standing water is gone. A thin layer, raked in, is enough.
- Cover home plate and the pitcher's circle with weighted tarps when rain is coming, if your field has them.
Ready to put down the lines?
Chalking the field