It never ceases to amaze me how much youth baseball players are
attracted to sand, dirt and grass.
It never ceases to amaze me how much youth baseball players are attracted to sand, dirt and grass. They sometimes immerse themselves so intently that they’ve eventually created an exact replica of the city of Babylon.
Ever wonder why there’s 27 sand dunes on the infield when practice is over or why the grass is shorter at the end of practice than when you began, or why it sometimes seemed there must have been an overnight archaeological dig at second base?
As the coach, parent or teacher begins to discuss how to field a ground ball you can watch the little hands of shovels begin their quest.
They begin to mold their masterpiece which couldn’t be finished at the last practice. This time, however, they’ve figured out how to construct the door and windows of the tri-level dirt condo in a matter of minutes or before the coach tells them to pay attention.
Are they paying attention to the coach? Well, yes and no, but these masters of the gravel have learned to multi task – listening and learning, grading and listening, listening and tamping. Today they learned how to field the ball, yet simultaneously manicure first base.
Beginning in T-ball the little tykes have constructed the Pyramids of Egypt, erected a Polynesian grass hut in left field and formed the infrastructure of the Eiffel Tower with pine needles behind the dugout.
Working with rocks, gravel and a cup of water, they’ve made concrete in its simplest form and poured it in that hole in front of the pitching rubber.
Becoming older presents new challenges to the over 10 dirt set. Having mastered the intricacies of the Quonset hut, they’ve moved on to more intricate digs. They’ve now drawn the skyline of San Francisco across the infield during batting practice or cut out alien designs in centerfield, much to the chagrin of the outfielder on the opposing team.
These man-made goats and excavation specialists will take care of any grass cutting exercise or dirt moving job. Just position them in different locations in the outfield during the duration of practice and cutting the grass is no longer a problem. Put them in the infield and a dragger won’t be needed. Let them get near the pitcher’s mound and after a few short talks about pitching the mound will resemble a paintball bunker or a dirt bike ramp.
As a coach, parent or teacher there is no solution. You just have to give in to the little construction foreman wannabees and fill your equipment bags with balls, bats, helmets, shovels, Tonka trucks, buckets, tamps, rakes and concrete mix from Home Depot. Only then will the team pay attention, because they’ll have the things they need to practice with.
Rich Taylor is the owner, head instructor and CEO of California Pitching Academy and is an associate scout for the New York Mets. He can be reached by e-mail at rj********@***oo.com.
