Pod-Cast: The Mets Crew Shows Us How It’s Done
Last Saturday, August 11th, marked the fourth BTF/MLB Field Maintenance Education Clinic. This one was a group effort. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund, SNY and the New York Mets partnered to make it a wonderfully successful event.
Youth baseball and softball organizations from the Tri-State area were invited to attend the private clinic lead by Mets head groundskeeper, Bill Deacon, and his entire crew. They arrived in small groups, the excitement radiating. Photos were snapped behind the microphone in the Mets media room, baseball hats were tried on and adjusted and pens hit notepads to ensure they worked before the clinic began. Just over 30 attendees participated in the clinic, taking part in 4 rotating stations that addressed topics such as; infield maintenance, mound and home plate management, game day preparation and turf management. It was a day dedicated to providing practical, easy to install tips and techniques that would aid in the long term maintenance of fields and provide the highest level of safety. BTF Executive Director, Cathy Bradley, stated, “We hope that this clinic, along with the grants awarded, will support the sustainability of safe and playable youth baseball and softball facilities in the area.”
BTF, along with SNY and their Play Ball initiative, awarded two $5,000 grants to the Dyker Heights Athletic Association and Elmjack Community Little League, to be used for field upkeep and the purcahse of needed field maintenance equipment.
There’s one remaining Field Maintenance Education Program scheduled for this season, and it’s taking place August 23rd in partnership with the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.
Check the BTF Facebook and Twitter pages for more photos from the Mets clinic, watch the great SNY clinic segment, and stay tuned for updates regarding the upcoming clinic with the Mariners.
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