SOUTH BEND - Baseball and fastpitch softball fans have "gotta love it." By a 4-to-1 vote, the South Bend School Board of Directors voted to implement baseball and fastpitch softball on the varsity level effective for the Spring 2017 seasons. The action took place at last Wednesday night's board meeting in South Bend.
The South Bend School District School Board consists of Chairman Chuck Spoor, Todd Strozyk, Steve Rogers, Dave Eastham and Andy Seaman.
Voting in favor of adding the two high school sports were Spoor, Eastham, Seaman and Strozyk. Voting against adding baseball and softball was Rogers.
Over the years people have tried to convince the school board to allow baseball and/or softball to be an option for student-athletes, but the arguments for it weren't sound enough and it wasn't affordable; now the timing is workable.
"It looks like it's affordable and the public wanted it so bad, and there doesn't appear to be a downside to it," Eastham told the Herald. "In past years, it was voted down because of the cost. Now some businesses are willing to offer free labor and lumber."
The school district board is looking at playing games on the field behind the bowling alley building (Cheney Park on East First St.), which is close to the high school. The land is owned by the City of South Bend.
The field needs work, but people have convinced the school board that volunteers will help get the job done.
There are also plans to have a synthetic infield put in place, and eventually add lights. Eastham informed that the Ben Cheney Foundation approached the school district about helping fund the project. Money may also come from grants. The field won't be ready before next spring, so SBHS will play an abundance of road games. The goal is to start playing games as soon as possible in order that the two programs can progress as soon as possible.
Eastham said that soon after school starts, questionnaires will be handed out to students about their interests in the two sports.
There are no plans to combine playing with another school the way Pe Ell and Willapa Valley have done for its baseball and fastpitch programs.
One downside to adding the two spring sports is that in all likelihood it would decimate the track and field program. However, if student-athletes would prefer one sport over another, so be it.
Playing games at Riverdale ballpark may or may not be an option.
The board intends to conduct a special workshop in the near future in order to address the direction of the new sports programs.
Anyone interested in offering assistance to help the two programs move forward can contact the superintendent's office at 875-6041.