This weekend in DFW

[HUH???]

Keller 10U,
Southlake 12U,
Grapevine 14U,
NRH 16U,
Southlake 18U,
have already cancelled.
I will go way out on a limb and predict more to follow soon.

[taking2]

Do we go through this every spring??? WTH, here I sit for another Sat / Sun (as the sun shines) after the Friday rain cancels us for the weekend. Seriously, can't some of the complexes afford a tarp? What does it take to prepare for a little rain? How about some drainage?

We were supposed to play in a tournament this weekend that had 42 teams @ $425 each. You do the math...shouldn't that buy some tarps or cat litter to absorb the wetness?

We live in Texas...you would think when the civil engineers designed the ball parks, they would have graded the land to compensate for...IDK...a rain storm?!?

To add insult to injury as I was driving around town I see the boys playing baseball at their complex.

[softballrulznut]

Tarps are great and really aren't all that expensive. The problem I see with them is that you just can't leave them on the field for days at a time or you will kill the grass around the field and I don't know how many times you have taken one of those things off after a 1 inch rain but it takes SEVERAL people and they are extremely heavy. It's not just cost, but it's a lot of work to have one as well.

[Get-n-dirty]

The last time I checked, softball fields don't have grass infields . You don't have to use the heaviest tarps on the market either to accomplish protecting the dirt from the rain. Tournament hosts lose a lot of money every time they cancel a tournament, and they aren't normally made up. Does this mean that the complexes are making that much off all the other tourneys to not worry about it?

[softballrulznut]

The last time I checked, softball fields don't have grass infields . You don't have to use the heaviest tarps on the market either to accomplish protecting the dirt from the rain. Tournament hosts lose a lot of money every time they cancel a tournament, and they aren't normally made up. Does this mean that the complexes are making that much off all the other tourneys to not worry about it?

Your response actually tells me how little you actually do know about this subject.

Number 1 - You have to place a portion of the tarp on the grass portion of the outfield and often complexes have grass down the infield foul lines - again the tarp would have to cover a portion of this grass and even a mostly cloudy day where the sun pops out on occasion will kill the grass very quickly.

Number 2 - you are correct that they make some light weight tarps - they are usually very poor in quality and they last a very short amount of time. Regardless of how heavy - therefore thick - the tarp is, the point is once they have water on them they ALL become extremely heavy and hard to get off the field even in ideal situations - let alone a windy day like many of the days this spring.

I don't know how much money tournaments make - I'm guessing it's not as much as you claim. I'm also guessing that you aren't so smart to have been the first person to ever think of putting a tarp on each of these 4-6 field complexes and I'm guessing if it was as easy as you apparently think it is then everyone would be doing it. Do you really think TD's want to do all the work of collecting checks, dealing with coaches all week prior to the tournament and then going through the trouble of setting up the schedule etc just to be rained out? Do you think they are making money and enjoying doing all that work for nothing?

Personally, I think you just need to get over it - it sucks but softball/baseball is basically the only sport in which weather clearly effects its ability to be played. If you don't like it maybe you should have your child take up Volleyball or Basketball which are played indoors!

[hustle24]

We played in Mansfield this weekend. The host teams (Texas Shock) and TD's worked on the fields all day Saturday to make if playable for a one day event on Sunday. Thanks for putting in the effort to make it possible.

[Joe]

Irving and Southlake used to have tarps. They cost about $2,000 each, cheap material that was light weight so when the wind blew they would come up exposing the dirt. After two years they were torn to shreds from sun exposure and wind damage. Good quality tarps run about $10,000 - $15,000 each and need to be put on rollers, taking about 10-15 people to roll on and off.

The key to successful field prep after rain is good drainage, good mix of infield material... and lots and lots of muchachos with rakes.

[momof23]

well it is a shame that these are called sometimes because of what the weather men predict. All I know I went to Keller Sat. and they were playablibe. Simple as that. I know tarps cost alot and it does take people to roll them out and up. But I bet coaches would jump in and help anyway they could and so would parents if they had a chance.

[dueceduece]

Arlington 14U played Saturday and Mansfield was able to get their games in Sunday for 8U and 12U. Didn't see any of these games just glad some girls were able to get on the dirt.

[Joe]

well it is a shame that these are called sometimes because of what the weather men predict. All I know I went to Keller Sat. and they were playablibe. Simple as that. I know tarps cost alot and it does take people to roll them out and up. But I bet coaches would jump in and help anyway they could and so would parents if they had a chance.

Chadows mom of 23...

I was in Keller too on Saturday. Their fields were playable as of about 5:00pm - 6:00pm... after about 3-4 inches of rain on Friday. Keller was one of many that rained out last weekend. North DFW received a bit more rain than most.