The baseball field at Creek had been giving the baseball team many problems for the past couple years. It was outdated, and this provided an opportunity for not only the field to be renovated, but the entire baseball complex, not just parts of it. Finally, renovations took place from Sept. 20-24.

“It comes down to being able to take care of the field easier, the playability of the field, and player safety,” varsity head coach Joe Smith said.

The edges of the infield and outfield were resodded, which will make the ground more level and make balls go the correct route. Without an even field, the balls that are batted can go in the wrong direction and injure someone. Before resodding, the field was dry and rough, which made it difficult for players to move freely on the field.

“The field would make the ball give unexpected bounces, and it was hard to slide on,” senior varsity first baseman Connor Larkin said.

The main funding for the renovations came from the Diamond Club Baseball, the booster club for the Creek team. Smaller contributions came from businesses like Oliver’s Restaurant, Slammers Baseball, Goldberg Real Estate, and Stevenson Car Dealership.

“At Creek, there’s not much of a budget for improvements, so the booster clubs pay for just about everything related to the sports programs,” Sean Larkin, the President of the Diamond Club Baseball, said.

The renovations that were done this year cost around $30,000. Small maintenance needs to be done every couple of years, and that will roughly cost $1,000. According to the team’s Instagram, some renovations were paid for by the Diamond Club, which serves as a sort of booster club for the team.  Other changes that are being done include a new batting cage, a players’ lodge, extended seating, and replacements of the fences.

“I think all of these improvements can help the players develop more quickly and play better,” Larkin said.

The infield and outfield will last around ten years, with the right maintenance and care. 

“Our goal is to make it easy to take care of, that way we don’t have to redo it anytime soon,” Smith said. 

The field has been around since 1970, and the last major renovation was done in 2012. The field was neglected, and needed lots of support in order to make it as functional as possible. “It was ready for a refresh,” Larkin said.