Renovated field on deck for baseball team

Clark's baseball team is receiving an early Christmas present this year.

What's hidden under the wrapping paper and bow? A newly renovated baseball field.

Denny Huston, Clark's interim director of athletics, said the field, which started construction in August, should be done before the beginning of the season on March 1. The renovation team will be moving the home plate closer by 20 feet, replacing the irrigation, shortening fences, installing new bleachers, replacing the scoreboard, putting in a bull pen behind the dug out, seeding the outfield, and installing a new batting barn.

Huston said the concession stand, press box and sound system do not have to be changed.

According to Clark's website, the field hasn't been officially played on for 18 years. Head coach Don Freeman said players originally used metal bats because they hit balls farther than wooden ones. Freeman said, because the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges uses wooden bats in its baseball, Clark's field needed to be shortened.

Freeman said the batting barn will have 3-5 indoor hitting cages and will be located next to the field.

According to Freeman, the labor for the renovations are being done for free by Quail Homes, a local construction company. He said the president of the company, John Girod, is a big sports fan and his son, Zach Girod, played on the baseball club last year.

Freeman estimated, without Quail Homes working pro bono, the project would have cost nearly $500,000.

Huston said, with the free construction, the $25,000 scoreboard is the one thing the team has to pay for.

"I want to emphasize that none of the resources came from Clark College," Huston said. "It's not a cost on our budget or (the Associated Students Clark College's)."

According to Huston, the team received nearly 80 percent of the money from fundraisers, a baseball booster club and large money donations.

ASCC finance director Ashley DeGrenier confirmed that the team didn't use any of the ASCC budget for the renovations.

Until renovations are complete, both the baseball and softball teams will practice on Hudson Bay High School's baseball field.

"We're bringing softball back to Clark," said Huston.

According to Clark's Executive Cabinet and ASCC reports, ASCC has been considering having the baseball field renovated and starting a team since 2001. Huston said the drive to form a team survived only with considerable community support.

"We are very blessed the community stepped forward to help," Freeman said.

Huston said the field will be dedicated to Vern Kindsfather who played on the Seattle Rainiers in the 1950s. He coached at Clark for 25 seasons before retiring in 1986. He passed away two years ago at the age of 84.

The first NWAACC game to be played on the new field will be against the Tacoma Titans on April 3.

Contact Maggie McRae at mmcra9551@students.clark.edu.