Finally.
That was the sentiment shared by everyone in attendance Monday for the dedication of land that will soon be home to a new indoor facility for the Columbus High School baseball and softball programs.
The project initially was in the works more than a decade ago when John Wilson was baseball coach at the school but fizzled out due to a lack of support.
This time, buoyed by the work of CHS baseball coach Jeffrey Cook and softball coach Alyssa Wriley, CHS Dugout Club President Bobby McCullough, past Dugout Club President Jim Mullis, and others, the hope is the community will get behind a project everyone agrees the school sorely needs.
“It is time,” Cook said. “It is one thing Columbus doesn”t have. The parents are supporting it, and it is going to be a team project.”
The plans are to build an 80-x100-foot facility, maybe even a little bigger, that will include a locker room and bathrooms for the baseball team. Cook hopes to have the locker room in place by February. It also will include a turf field that all of the school”s sports teams will be able to use in case of bad weather.
In addition, construction will include a new concession stand and bathrooms for the softball field. Plans to redo the backstops and install a wood fence at the softball field also are included.
“It just has to be a team effort in fundraising,” said Cook, who will be in his fifth season as baseball coach at the school. “We are excited about it. We are the only school in 6A that doesn”t have (an indoor facility), and we are the only school in the county that doesn”t have one. There will be so much improvement in all of the sports.”
Cook said the new facility will allow his team to do the proper training and get extensive preparatory work when the elements or weather prevent his players from working on the field. The facility also will give other teams — like soccer and football — to practice in spite of the conditions outside.
McCullough, who has had one son play in the Columbus High baseball program and has another son, Chris, who is a freshman and a member of the baseball program. He said having a facility that allows players to get repetition year-round is essential.
“A lot of schools are a step ahead because they have an indoor facility,” McCullough said. “I think it is going to benefit us tremendously and it gives Columbus a chance to pull something together without state funding.”
The project will be paid for solely through fundraisers and financial contributors from donors.
Mullis, who read a statement at the ceremony, said the project will offer “something great” for all of the programs.
“The school district has recognized the need for this facility, but due to the economic conditions they are under, the school system can not fund it,” Mullis said. “We can sit back, complain, or feel sorry for ourselves because we do not have those facilities, or we can do something about it.
“Today, we”re marking the beginning of doing something positive for our kids. We”re dedicating this site for the future home of indoor facility. As combined athletic booster clubs, we”re kicking off our efforts to raise funds on our own to build this facility and to add the field improvements for our children. Today we”re laying the foundation to bring championship baseball and softball to Columbus, Miss.”
Mullis said the estimated cost of the project is $150,000. He said the hope is to have everything completed by the start of the 2012 season, depending on the level of support for the project.
The schools” sports programs will hold several fundraisers for the project. The first event will be a fish fry Oct. 15, which will coincide with the football team”s homecoming game against DeSoto Central. Tickets for a meal of catfish, hushpuppies, fries, slaw, a drink, and dessert are $10.
The baseball and softball teams also will have a $10,000 drawdown from 7-10:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Trotter Convention Center in downtown Columbus.
Tickets for the event are $100, and each one admits two. Every 50th ticket pulled wins $250, except the last ticket. The last five tickets can split $10,000 or the last ticket drawn wins $10,000.
Keith and Margie Entertainment will be on hand, and light snacks and soft drinks will be served at the non-alcoholic event.
All proceeds will be used for baseball/softball facility improvements and for the indoor facility.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call Jim Mullis 662-549-3418.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.