Hoover High School prides itself on the many facilities provided for our students to excel in all athletic activities. To keep up with the needs of athletes across our community, Hoover launched a construction project focusing on improving our softball and baseball fields. Thomas Oakes, Hoover’s Athletic Director, explains the basic goal of this project.
“The baseball field is being renovated right now to be one hundred percent full turf, so it could be used year round,” He said. “It could be used for soccer, lacrosse, or football. It does have some multi-purpose use besides baseball.”
Oakes then explains the new changes coming to the softball field. Some of which include new locker rooms, concession stands, and restrooms.
“The [softball] field is going to remain the same, it’s going to be one hundred percent grass, it’s outfield would not be multi-purpose.” He said. “Softball got a new state-of-the-art hitting complex, locker rooms, concession stands, and public restrooms, so we’re excited for it to open in the near future.”
North Canton City Schools Director of Development and Special Projects, Scott Campbell, shares how these new fields can benefit people of all ages within our community.
“We now have created a facility that can impact all of our kids, not just our high school level kids,” Campbell said.
Campbell goes on to share how these new facilities can effectively give each sport a designated area to practice. He explains by describing different sports, and how many seasons tend to overlap. Instead of various teams waiting on other sports to complete their practice schedule in order to access areas like the gym, or the field, all sports now have their own facility to practice according to their schedule.
Campbell talks about how these new fields can also improve the economic state of our city. By allowing people from all over the state to utilize our new facilities, opportunities open up for people to explore the city of North Canton.
“The biggest thing we would like to do is to be able to create revenue through that field,” He said. “In the summer, when our fields have been down, we would like to bring in teams from all over to play in our facilities. We would be able to generate some revenue from that, but also bring people into our community, eat at our restaurants, shop at our stores.”
Oakes adds on to this idea, by explaining how the demand for the usage for our softball and baseball fields are high, therefore prompting the renovations we see today.
“The demand out there for turf fields is intense,” He said. “We have 28 of 30 dates in June already reserved from outside organizations on our baseball field for the summer, and another five out of seven booked for July, so the demand is there. As far as funding goes, that will help put some money back into a new turf project, or maintain the current turf projects we have.”
Senior Sadie Carroll has been playing softball for the entirety of her high school career. With many years of experience on the old field, Carroll expresses how she feels about the new renovations.
“I think that it was definitely time for the girls to get their own hitting facility and locker rooms. We have been waiting a long time for these improvements while other sports have had these luxuries for years.” Carroll said.
Carroll then explains how these improvements can greatly benefit the softball and baseball team performance and experience throughout the season.
“This project means the world to our team,” She said. “We will save a lot of hassle now that we can hit inside next to the field instead of in the gym. It’s going to cut back on confusion of practice location and I think our hitting performance will improve. As for the boys’ turf field, it’s always great to have turf. The bounces of the ball are more predictable and they won’t have to cancel as many games due to weather.”
Finally, Carroll speaks on behalf of her and her team, expressing her contentment for this new project.
“I’m so glad that this project has been approved and built,” She said. “Coach Goodpasture and the team have earned these improvements and we continue to show that we deserve high quality facilities.”
