Hingham Boys Soccer Boosters

 2022 Field Lining

HYS Field Lining Instructions

Field Lining Responsibilities:

Fields must be lined between Wednesday and Friday of your assigned week.  The HHS Boys Boosters will be responsible for relining three fields at Union Street.   All the fields will have 2 sets of lines to accommodate different age groups.  Please note the different paint colors for each field and age group.

Paint and Equipment:

The paint and paint machines are stored in the Knaack storage boxes at each field.  The boxes are locked with padlocks and there is a key in a magnetic container secured underneath each box.  Please be sure to lock the boxes when you have finished working at the field each day and place the key back in the proper location.

Guidelines for Painting:

It is necessary to put a heavy coat of paint down each week to ensure that the paint will be visible during the games and when the fields are relined the following week.  This is especially important when rain is in the forecast.  It is important to monitor weather forecasts so that you can avoid applying paint just prior to a rainfall which is likely to wash most of the paint away.  In other words, if a significant rainfall is forecast for Thursday, it is best to plan to line the fields on Friday instead of Wednesday that week.  It is best to not paint the lines if the grass is wet.  In cases of extremely heavy rainfall, it may be necessary to line the fields twice that week, once early in the week prior to the rainfall and then again later in the week.  Please make contingency plans for this and if you require assistance in such a situation, please communicate with your HYS contact early so that they can help find volunteers to handle the extra work.

To achieve adequate coverage with one pass, you will have to be moving very slowly.  The full-size 11 v 11 fields require approximately 8 cans of paint and the 9 v 9 and 7 v 7 fields require approximately 6 cans of paint.  If you find yourself using less than this, then you are not applying a heavy enough coat to last until the next week.  It is difficult to line a field in low lighting, so be sure to allow yourself enough time to complete the job with full daylight.  Once you get experienced, each field will take approximately 30 minutes to line, a little more for 11 v 11 fields and a little less for 7 v 7 fields, so use that guideline to estimate the amount of time you will need.

 Painting “How To”:

Equipment is located in a large metal Knaak storage boxes located near the large stonewall along Union Street on the Weir River end of the fields. There is a “hidden” key in a magnetic box on the underside of each container.

·       Unlock and unlatch the storage container. Make sure the latch on the container is set to “unlatch” as opposed to “latch” before trying to open the container.

·       Take out one of the paint machines which will be folded for easy storage.

·       Lift the handle of the machine, straighten it, and tighten the screw on the handle shaft to tighten the handle.

·       Take about 8 cans of white spray paint and put them in the bottom of the paint machine so that you don’t have to go back to the container to restock.

·       Shake paint cans very well.

·       Remove the paint cap and turn the can upside down.

·       Place the spray paint can upside down, nozzle first, into the small hole in the base of the paint machine.

·       Turn the spray paint can clockwise about 90 degrees to open it.

·       Line up the paint machine along the center of the preexisting lines on the field. You are ready to go!

·       Use the trigger on the machine’s handle to release paint and begin walking behind the machine squeezing the trigger to paint and releasing the trigger to stop (or to take a corner).

NOTE:  HYS loves nice, fat, white (or orange) lines so if your line looks a little thin or straggly, try twisting the paint can in the machine just a few more degrees in a clockwise direction to release more paint.

You will know when you run out of paint because the machine will start making a little rasping, gasping sound – Just replace the empty can with a new, well-shaken can of paint.

Please take empty paint cans with you and recycle at the dump in the aluminum recycle section. Please do not place in recycle bins at the field.   

Once you are finished with your assigned fields, return the paint machine and any unused paint cans to the containers.

You will need to unscrew the paint machine handle and fold it to fit the machine in the container.

Please lock the container and return the key in its magnetic box to its location on the underside of the bin.

 Final Words

It is critical for the lines on the fields to be straight, for all lines to be repainted each week, and for the lines to be adequately heavy to last until the following week.  Please remember to communicate early and often with your HHS contact on any questions you may have and on any issues you face such as weather or supply shortages.