THE VALLEYS Extension agent offers aid with sports-field care

Infield dirt erosion can affect the course of a baseball, Dave Goerig noted.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
CANFIELD -- With warmer weather just around the corner, grounds crews in charge of area athletic fields should concentrate on field preparation, maintenance and repairs, said Dave Goerig, horticulture extension agent for Mahoning County.
Goerig said his office is a free resource for the civic and community group volunteers, school officials and municipal officials who are responsible for the hundreds of soccer, baseball, softball and football fields in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.
Many of the dedicated volunteers are not as well-versed in field maintenance as they would like to be, and many look to him for advice.
Officials from about 10 school districts attended a field maintenance seminar Goerig conducted last year. He said he would schedule such a seminar again if there is enough interest.
Tips and suggestions
"Kids don't like to be told, 'Stay off the field,' but on these mornings when there's frost on new grass, no one should walk on it," Goerig said. "When the new blades of grass are frozen, they will break if they are stepped on. They'll grow back, but what's there will be damaged."
Another tip Goerig offered is that those in charge of baseball and softball fields should keep track of erosion of the infield dirt. Each time a player dives after a ball or slides into a base, some infield soil is lost. Anytime dirt is kicked up, some soil is carried away by the wind, he added.
"If you're not careful, you'll end up with the infield dirt areas being lower than the infield grass, and that can cause balls to do funny things that infielders don't like," Goerig said. "A hit ball will hit the lip of the infield dirt, and it can be unpredictable. The ball can go anywhere, and that can be dangerous."
Goerig said he can answer questions about aerating soil, using pesticides and fertilizers, repairing damaged areas, tracking soil temperatures, mowing and other subjects. He emphasized that anyone responsible for applying pesticides to an athletic field must be certified in pesticide application.
For more information, call Goerig at the Ohio State University Extension Office of Mahoning County, (330) 533-5553.