Construction begins soon for new baseball field
Thanks to generous support from the community, construction of a new baseball field on the high school campus will begin this spring, ready for use in 2027.
A baseball field has always been in the plan for the high school campus; now that the track and softball field are completed, it's time for the next step. Athletic Director Rich Porter said the major benefits of the new field will be having the facility on the campus where the students are and having better accessibility for fans.
"It will be ADA compliant, which the other field is not," he said. "It's very challenging over there from a fan perspective." The current field is beside the elementary school, with parking either some distance away or at the base of a steep hill.
Head Coach Josh Moss said the new field will keep everything connected to the school day and provide a safe, consistent and accessible space for practices and games.
"While the previous field is only a short drive away," he said, "having to commute off campus adds challenges with player arrival coinciding with elementary release, bussing, and pick up/drop off lines all using the same entrance/exit."
Moss said the new field includes several upgrades that will benefit both players and spectators.
"Unlike the old field, the new facility will have access to water," he said, "making it easier to properly maintain the playing surface throughout the season. Parking and access will be greatly improved, with more available parking and shorter walks to the bleachers."
Porter said the new field will have a natural grass playing surface and an irrigation system.
Some preparatory work was done as part of earlier construction projects.
"Some of the tiles have already been installed," he said, "and some of the electric service has been run as well."
The Centerburg Diamond Club organizes fund raising and community events for the high school baseball program to help provide everything from equipment and uniforms to spring trips, and it has been instrumental in raising funds for the new field. Vice President Matt Campbell said the club wrote a check to the district for $75,000 toward the project.
"We are proud, gracious and humbled that our efforts have already yielded great results thanks to the generosity of many businesses and individuals," he said.
Moss said another exciting aspect of the project is that the school will now have two baseball fields instead of one.
"This will allow greater access for our middle school club team, local league teams and summer programs to practice and play games," he said.
Sophomore Gabe Campos said having an overall better playing field will help the team succeed.
"I'm looking forward to just having a better atmosphere when we play the game," he said.