Check on your field's lines early in the week. If they're already
faint you could ask a coach for his cones to mark the field, or you
could mark spots with field paint to guide the later repainting.
- I've done that some years ago, but considering the time and paint spent I
might as well have just repainted the field, maybe walk a little less
slow.
Repaint again by the end of the week, and
remember to walk slower, use more paint next time.
Shake paint spray can vigorously for about a minute. You can hold one
in each hand. Take off cap and put spray can in machine; the latest
nozzle slides into the correct position almost by itself. Sometimes
the nozzle comes off when you remove the cap, just put it back on.
Almost every time, the nozzle slides into the slot correctly by
itself, but with the hundreds of cans we use, occasionally the nozzle
hits the slot reptacle exactly perpendicularly, and ends up on top of
it. This will give you a narrow line of paint, not the wide line we
prefer; but worse is that with the nozzle in this position the lever
doesn't have much give, can only be pulled a short distance. When you
try to pull the lever as you're used to, the cable may come loose (or
break) and then you'll have to spend time to get a replacement
machine and I'll have to spend time repairing the machine.
My recommendation is to pay a little attention to
positioning the nozzle and always to pull the lever gently.
Walk the machine very slowly, toddler-speed, with the spray can nozzle
right on top of the old line, pull lever to apply paint, walk slowly
to apply a good layer of paint that will penetrate to the roots of the
grass. Your walking speed determines how thick the paint is laid on. A
can of paint should last about 50 to 70 yards. You'll also notice the
sound change and clouds of white vapor when your can is almost empty.
Replace cap and put empty cans upside-down in box.
Resist the temptation to "oversteer" the machine when going in a
straight line. The 4 wheels do a very good job of keeping you going
straight if you've started out heading in the right direction. Just
pull the lever and push the machine forward. If you try to "micro manage"
the steering (making little course corrections), you will invariably
end up with a squiggly line.
You may try shakin a can in one hand while pushing the machine with
the other hand. Some repainters do and tell me their lines are
straight. The instructions indeed say "just push the machine forward,"
- but it's not for everyone. I myself can't do it.
Slightly lifting the machine off of the rear wheels makes it much
easier to paint the tight curves in the corner arcs and for following the
center circle and penalty arcs lines.
Having the sun at your back will give you a clearer view of the old
lines.
Most of the small fields are laid out parallel to each other. It is
most efficient to repaint the short lines here in one straight walk
(with interruptions of paint spraying), that should take less time
than making the many turns of repainting each of these fields
separately. ( The two fields at
Hoover School and Palo Verde School are not parallel.)
Don't worry about using too much paint. Better too much than too little!
But don't spend extra paint on dirt. It will scatter with the sand
when the kids run over it.
If you do make an error in painting that you want to correct, the
bottom of your shoe makes a wonderful eraser while the paint is still
fresh!
Do not forget to repaint:
corner arcs,
mid-goal line
mid-point on center line
and penalty spot (only at Ohlone, Duveneck and Robles.)
Let me know if these features are missing in your field and I'll come
by to lay them out again (only if there is grass.)
In some fields there are dangerous spots like the caps of irrigation control
boxes, sewers or storm drains. Please mark them with the field paint, so the referees
can spot them easily to put in orange cones.
If your last can is almost empty when you're done with the field,
please empty it completely, repaint some line a second time. Empty
cans are preferred for disposal.
Please remove garbage like plastic bottles etc. from
the fields, and also try to remove dog waste etc, we don't
want that on our children's feet, let alone their hands. Bring plastic
bags and maybe some paperboard from cereal boxes if the stuff needs
scraping off. If the fields are clean, people are less likely to
litter, on a garbage-strewn field people care less.
Painting lines Saturday morning is not a good idea. The grass will be
wet from dew and/or sprinkling, and it will be chilly, so the paint
will dry slowly and will probably still be wet when the first game
starts. Paint may get on the uniforms, and the lines may smudge as the
paint is spread when the players step on it.
Of course, Saturday morning repainting is better than no repainting, but try to avoid it.
If you sometimes get caught in traffic on Fridays, it would be better
to plan your repainting on Thursdays.
Please DO NOT return empty cans to my house. I do not have an AYSO
garbage allotment.
It is not wrong to put the empty cans in your
garbage, but it would be better to dispose of them in the City's
Household Hazardous Waste Program.
It's usually on the first Saturday of the month, 9 AM - 12 PM.
The cans will be emptied and the metal recycled.
The paint may be especially formulated for grass, but where it
really has staying power is on fabric and leather. Be very careful or wear
old clothes and shoes where it doesn't matter. Also remove spray can
from machine before putting it into a car, to avoid painting your trunk there.
