COLUMBUS — Upon his move to Heritage Academy in 2020, assistant baseball coach Brad Haines saw the Patriots’ field and facilities stuck in a time capsule.
From less-than-ideal dugouts to an overgrown baseball diamond, Haines knew serious work was necessary to bring Heritage’s facilities in line with other Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Class 5A programs.
Beyond that, the Patriots wanted their baseball facilities to stand out from others in the region as the Golden Triangle is known for its prominent baseball pipeline.
“There were so many projects, it was like, ‘Hey, we’ll tackle one or two things a year that we can,’” Haines said. “That first year, we knew we had a lot of work to do to get it where it needed to be and we weren’t going to be able to do it all in one year.”
As part of that incremental approach, Haines and school administrators developed a plan following the 2022 season to update everything: the stands, dugouts, field house and most importantly, the field.
Generous contributions from Heritage’s booster club made these renovation plans a reality and work finally began this offseason on re-doing the playing surface.
“Last year, we really began a push of updating and upgrading a lot of stuff,” Haines said. “We got a lot done last year, so this year, when Coach (Zander) Romano came in, we sat down and talked about the condition the field was in. … I thought we’d be lucky if we got one project done. We ended up getting everything done and then some.”
Now, with the season just a month away, Heritage will have literally laid the groundwork for the baseball program’s future.
Keeping up with the Trojans
Considering baseball’s popularity in the region, the Pats are far from the first team to prioritize field maintenance and preparation. In fact, that activity has turned into a year-long task for some.
“Baseball coaches do edgework all of the time,” New Hope head coach Lee Boyd said. “Around mid-March, that rye grass really starts popping, so every week or so, we’re out there doing edgework around the infield, the home plate area and the warning track. … It’s a pride thing as a baseball coach. We want it striped up, edged out. We want to take pride in our park.”
It’s no surprise that New Hope is at the forefront of field and facility maintenance. The Trojans, eight-time state champions and alma mater to a number of college and pro baseball standouts, prides itself on success – on the field and around the field.
Exhibit A is New Hope’s home ballpark, Trojan Field, a facility considered to be one of the best in Mississippi, if not the entire Southeast, and one that Haines had his fingerprints on as a New Hope student and later as a coach.
“When you come through that program, one thing you’re taught was working on the field and hard work, whether you were a player or a coach,” Haines said. “… There was always something to add and work on. That was instilled in my DNA as a coach.”
From installing old bleachers repurposed from Mississippi State’s Dudy Noble Field to adding in new concession stands and dugouts, Trojan Field was revolutionized in the mid-1990s.
To keep it that way, however, New Hope players learned field upkeep, making sure everything near and around the facilities was kept spotless.
It’s a practice that still continues, as New Hope players can often be found raking the infield dirt and cleaning up dugouts after home games.
“As soon as we make the team in seventh grade, the main thing is keeping everything looking nice and taking care of everything,” New Hope senior Colin Perrigin said. “It’s the expectation of playing at New Hope. It’s a tradition.”
With Haines, now in his fourth year working with Heritage, and Romano, entering his first season as head coach of the Patriots after a stint at Jackson Prep, in charge, the expectation that players have to contribute to their facility’s upkeep is taking root at Trip Carson Field.
“I remember when I was playing baseball, I still had to work on the fields as a college player,” Romano said. “Having some of that personal responsibility as a player that’s driven from the coach builds a lot of pride in what you’re doing outside of taking grounders and hitting baseballs. … You want to put a good product with your team in the same way as your playing field.”
All hands on deck
One of the more important things to note regarding field maintenance at area high schools is that these jobs aren’t outsourced – there are no groundscrews.
Coaches rake the fields, maintain the grass and warning track, and do everything else in-between, with assistance from players during the season.
“Field maintenance definitely falls on the coaching staff,” Caledonia head coach Brad Hamilton said. “We try to allow players the opportunity to take ownership in the program by doing the work right along with us. During the course of the season, players are the main one working daily to maintain the field surface.”
Renovations are ongoing at Caledonia, too, with new fencing, concrete walkways and egress areas and bleachers on the way, plus a new brick archway serving as the entrance to their field.
Despite these cosmetic improvements, the playing surface itself is still very much the focus.
“As far as the playing surface goes, we have aerated, top-dressed, replaced all sprinklers, planted rye grass and fertilized,” Hamilton said. “Before the season actually starts, we’ll level out the infield surface and add new conditioner. We have reworked the home bullpen area and added a visitor bullpen area.”
While most of the tasks related to field maintenance could be considered “manual labor,” expertise in turf management and drainage is key to long-term field health. At Heritage, Haines reached out to a local expert, Brandon Hardin, associate director of athletic grounds at Mississippi State.
“The more we can keep the student athletes on the fields the better it will be for everyone,” Hardin said. “This past fall, we topdressed the field with 40 tons of sand to help hold down the ryegrass seed that Brad (Haines) put out. This summer, Brad and I have plans to cut down any remaining lips as well as bring in enough red dirt to laser grade the infield dirt back up to grade to ensure that no water stands and the infield skin drains water off properly and doesn’t cause any rainouts. … We’re just getting started.”
Hardin’s pride and joy, Dudy Noble Field, billed as the “Carnegie Hall of College Baseball,” has a pristine playing surface to accompany its top-notch facilities.
Hardin, through his side business, H&H Turf Solutions, is happy to share his techniques with others, having already worked with a number of high school fields throughout the state.
“In a world where instant gratification is wanted, it’s important for our coaches to understand that their athletes only get out of the field what the coaches put in,” Hardin said. “Most of the problems that our coaches face daily are due to lack of maintenance. Most times, it just takes a little know-how. That’s why I try to help as many of our coaches and athletes as I can.”
At New Hope, players take pride in field maintenance, referring to a list of tasks posted in the dugout and stressing the importance of structure and teamwork. Individual tasks change as players make their way from freshmen to seniors, but the expectation that begins on day one remains consistent.
“It means a lot to everybody because you play someone, they walk in and see how nice everything is, that makes you feel good as a player knowing everyone thinks your place is nice,” Perrigin said.
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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 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
