Due to Title IX rulings, baseball can now upgrade its varsity field and facilities but lacks money to do so

The varsity baseball team has wanted to see improvements to its field, along with the JV field, for awhile but has come across some obstacles in the process.

Due to the Title IX rules, the softball field had to be renovated and receive upgrades before the baseball program was allowed to do anything to their fields.

Now that the varsity softball field has been improved, baseball is now able to act upon their fields. In fact, varsity baseball coach Lance Fischer wants to see improvements and upgrades to both the baseball and softball facilities.

“We’re trying to do some things on our JV field now which will include upgrades on the JV softball field as well. So for us to do what we want to do that kinda has to be done at the same time, so we’ve kinda taken that project on as well,” Fischer said. “We’re not doing this for us coaches, were doing it for the kids so we can do it for both programs.”

According to sophomore left fielder Reece Brown, the JV baseball field has started to improve slowly but he feels that it will take perseverance to keep it maintained.

“It’s not the best but I know our coaches have put in a lot of work. The infield is getting a lot nicer, however the outfield needs to be cut and there is a lot of divots and holes and what not in the outfield and it makes it hard to field a ball on the ground,” Brown said. “The varsity field has some of the same issues in the outfield but definitely not as severe as the JV field’s outfield issues.”

According to Fischer, all of the improvements for the fields are already planned out but the baseball program will need money to carry out these improvements; money which it does not have. The program was given a $15,000 donation in 2014 to put towards their fields by Timberwolves Construction and CVC Concrete but the donation was lost.

“Pretty much almost everything I want to do to our field is improved but for one, we don’t have the finances and for two, we lost that [$15,000 concrete] donation which was a big loss,” Fischer said. “I am happy with the approvals and stuff I’m just sad we lost the donation because it would be done by now, but we’re trying to find another way to get that donation.”

Senior varsity pitcher Ryan Sleadd wants improvements to the baseball fields but would also like to see the JV softball field improve first.

“It’s not that big of a deal, our field isn’t that bad. The girls JV softball field is really, really bad so it kinda makes sense,” Sleadd said. “Our field is not horrible; we can deal with it, but it’s a rule, we gotta follow it.”

Fellow senior varsity third baseman Jordan Woods feels differently and sees many pressing issues with the varsity baseball field that need to be fixed prior to upgrading any softball facilities.

“The outfield needs to be redone, we need to put new grass out there,” Woods said. “Hitting tunnels need to be changed and there’s a lot of weeds in places that they shouldn’t be.”

JV player Chase Nelson believes that the JV field has definitely had an improvements since last year and the varsity field is coming along nicely.

“A lot of hard work went and money went into that field and maybe not the outfield, but the infield definitely looks a lot nicer than last year. I think to maintain it would be a better goal because we don’t want it to go back to what it was last year.” Nelson said. “The varsity field looks nice right now, I mean nothing is ever perfect and you can always do little improvements but nothing major.”