How to Make a Little League Pitching Mound
If you are coaching a Little League baseball team, are a volunteer parent or helping to administer the league, you will probably be asked to get the field ready for the beginning of the season. One of those jobs is building and preparing the pitcher's mound.
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Things You'll Need
- Wheelbarrow
- Shovel
- Rake
- Measuring tape
- Small sledgehammer
- Tamp
- Pitching rubber
Instructions
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1
Measure, beginning from the top of home plate; this is the part of the plate that is closest to the center field fence. Measure 46 feet from that point. That is where the pitcher's mound will eventually be placed.
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2
Combine dirt, sand and red clay to make a standard pitching mound. After the mixture is prepared place it in a wheelbarrow and take it out to the middle of the field. The pitcher's mound should be 18 feet in diameter and the pitching rubber should be placed at its apex. The height of a pitcher's mound in most little leagues is 10 1/2 inches.
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3
Shovel the dirt from the wheelbarrow onto the ground. Take a rake and smooth it so it is distributed evenly. Then take the tamp--it's about 5 feet long with a flat tool to punch the dirt down into the ground--and pound the dirt until it is flat and in the shape of a semi-circle.
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4
Place the pitching rubber in the middle of the mound. Take your sledgehammer and pound it down so the spikes on the underside of the rubber are secured into the dirt. The rubber should be firmly in place and it should not wobble.
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5
Rake the mound after every game and fill dirt in any holes that the pitchers may dig up. Pitchers love to kick at the mound with their baseball shoes and dig small holes so they can gain a toe hold. In order to prevent big holes from developing, fill those holes with fresh dirt on a regular basis.
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