We asked Field of the Year winner Peter Thibeault, CSFM of the Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, MA how he, as a one-man operation, prepares to paint his fields:
“Here’s some things that are necessary: dense, healthy athletic turf; a good breakfast (because I’m about to do a lot of walking); about 5000 feet of string spooled onto an old hose reel; 30 nails for holding string (see photo); coffee cans filled with cement to make permanent field corners; at least three 300-foot tape measures, preferably metal; aerosol turf paint; an aerosol turf paint line marker; and a current rule book with field dimensions for each sport.
“Since usually I’m a one-man show I need 5000 feet of string so can string all lines on field and paint all at once. Generally I will aerosol all lines on field first then will follow with Kromer that holds 30 gallons of paint and do three or four fields at once.
“I have had greatest success with Pioneer Brite stripe paint for brightest lines and easy clean up. That paint is wicked bright. During times of heavy turf growth I have mixed a little Primo TGR with paint to help keep from mowing off lines.
“The key I find to successful painting is taking time and having nice weather; now if I only had more time and lived where the weather is always nice. One thing that I cannot live without is aerosol paint because here in New England the weather is not always dry. The other thing I cannot live without is the Kromer. Being that I’m using 60 gallons a week, without it I’d spend all week painting and not much more than that and I like mowing and all the rest that goes along with it.
“Currently we are set for two baseball, one softball and eight lacrosse, so there is a lot of painting. Being efficient helps our fields look their best all the time.”