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Sunday, November 25, 2012
Tue DALLAS POST
PAGE 9
Sports
5%, oo
& 4
Crews work well into the night to put new dirt on the upper fields.
od
Little League
gets facelift
By TOM ROBINSON
Dallas Post Correspondent
a Back Mountain Baseball rou-
tinely uses the offseason to
make improvements to its fields.
This year, the league is mak-
ing a larger investment to make
those improvements more ex-
tensive.
Work is underway to upgrade
the fields, driveway and parking
lot... Lael
“It is in our capital budget to
always put $5-10,000 ito the
fields for things like fencing,
dirt, a tractor, based on need,”
said league presideni Steve
Skammer. “This year, we're do-
ing new dugouts and a new
@ on the Major League
field and were refinishing the
fields up top, fixing drainage. In-
stead of $10,000 this year, it will
be in the range of $60-70,000 to
re-do all the fields.”
Skammer said the expendi-
tures are split nearly in half be-
tween the lighted Major League
field, which also serves as the
home of the Dallas High School
baseball team, and the ¢combina-
tion of the four upper fields used
for Minor Leagues.
Back Mountain Baseball has a
history of more than 50 years
working with the Dallas School
“This year, we're doing
new dugouts and a new
backstop on the Major
League field and we're
refinishing the fields up
top, fixing drainage. In-
stead of $10,000 this
year, it will be in the
range of $60-70,000 to
re-do all the fields.”
Steve Skammer
President, Back Mountain Baseball
District, which owns the land.
The Little League organization
uses the fields and takes respon-
sibility for their maintenance.
Skammer said the league has
looked into the possibility of ob-
taining its own fields, but has
determined that doing so in the
Back Mountain would cost well
over a million dollars, outside
the reach of a youth sports orga-
nization. Instead, it took money
raised through the years to in-
crease its commitment to the
current fields.
“We kind of have a gentle-
men’s agreement with the
school district,” he said. “We
take care of the fields and up-
Richard Hiedacavage,of Harding, and his construction crew pour concrete and assemble new du-
gouts at Kubis Field in Dallas.
date them. It works well.”
Skammer said the league pre-
sents its plans to the school
board each year. It also consult-
ed Dallas softball coach Joyce
Tinner to make sure changes on
the Major League field work
well for her team.
The Little League’s 15-mem-
ber board came up with the lat-
est plans. Those plans need to
be completed during October
and November because the
fields are used from March to
October and field work is diffi-
cult after the weather becomes
too cold.
“The good thing about our
board is that we have CPAs on
it, we have attorneys, we have
some people who are involved
in construction and we have
people who work for the town-
ship,” Skammer said. “We have
a good mix of people who under-
stand funding, understand bank-
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Richard Hiedacavage, left, of Harding, and his son, Joshua, pour concrete for new baseball dugouts at Kubis Field in Dallas.
ing and understand fields.”
The deteriorating retaining
wall of the rightfield fence at the
Major League field has been re-
placed. At the same site, work is
being done to replace the du-
gouts and backstop.
“Eventually, everyone in our
program will get to play there,”
Skammer said. “It’s kind of our
showcase. It's where we have
district playoffs.
“We haven't had new back-
stops and dugouts down there in
15 or 20 years.”
Up above, on the four Minor
League fields used by more than
500 youngsters each year, more
work is being done on the fields
and their drainage.
Skammer said the use of earli-
er fundraising money ineans
there will be no additienal fees
to families to participate in the
league and there will not be any
increase in sponsor costs.
MICHAEL-BARBOSE TEAM
WINS TOURNAMENT
DALLAS JUNIOR HIGH CHEERLEADERS
CAPTURE FIRST PLACE
The Dallas Junior High Cheer team captured first place at the College Misericordia Cougar
The Dallas Tuesday Night at Twin Oaks Mens League held its end-of-the-year tournament at
rem Temple Country Club. Prizes were awarded and the overall champions of this year’s
league play were recognized by President Dennis Wagner. The winners were Clarence J. Mi-
chael and Jack Barbose, who also won last year. From left, Jack Barbose, Dennis Wagner and
Clarence J. Michael.
Challenge Cheer Competition. The girls performed a two and a half minute routine which involved
dance, cheer, stunting and tumbling. From left, first row, are Captain Angela Bendick, Captain
Ashlie Alves, Captain Brianna Rinehimer. Second row, Kiley Brittain, Maddie Hurst, Lauren Alves,
Ariyonna Martin, Sara Schwartz and Aneilia Cummings. Third row, Erica VanEtten, Marissa Ro-
berts, Tori Landon, Jayden Dinardi, Frankie Treslar, Savannah Goechel, Mia Greenwood, Katelyn
DeAnthony, Olivia Rinaldi and Coach Jenny Sorber. In addition, the squad had a stunt group place
second in its division. The stunt group consisted of Flyer Lauren Alves, Bases Marissa Roberts and
Brianna Rinehimer and back spot Savannah Goechel.