For a league to operate successfully and smoothly on game day, field preparations must be a priority.
Walk Through
In the interest of safety, be sure to recruit volunteer parents to do a walk through of all fields prior to the start of each practice and game. If possible, do this in advance to give you ample time to recondition bad fields.
Permits
Make sure to acquire a permit for practice and game fields. If you use any fields own by someone other than your league, be sure to work out an arrangement prior to the season. Nevertheless, each coach should have documentation of a field usage permit in his hand book.
Grooming
Mowing the fields is an important job. Be sure to designate someone for games and practice fields. Make sure landscaping is included in your field usage agreement and/or budget.
Lining and Stenciling
Be sure to have volunteers assigned to line and stencil practice and games field to the dimensions determined by your league.
A standard NFL, college and high school field is:
Length: 360 feet or 120 yards
Width: 160 feet or 53 1/3 yards
End Zone: 10-yards deep
Hash Marks: 53 feet, 4 inches (high school)
Goal Post: 10 feet high and 23 feet, 4 inches wide (high school)
Restraining Line: 6-foot line along the side lines that designate the closest non-players can be to the field.
Team Benches: Team benches are place along the Restraining Line between the 30-yard markers.