Skip to main content

Locals work to improve Hills ball fields

Lead Summary
, , ,
By
Mavis Fodness

Almost daily in June, the sounds of balls hitting bats and cheering crowds were heard more than usual in Hills, as two ball diamonds are now in use near Jacobson Park.
Thanks to the efforts of city officials and volunteers, the south ball field was recently improved and brought back into play.
“The field was a regular baseball field,” said Ross Metzger. “What we did was make it into a multi-purpose field.”
For years, the south grass surface wasn’t conducive to community baseball or softball games.
“The field sat there for a lot of years, and I know there were people who wanted to use it,” Metzger said.
Sand and lime replaced the grass infield, a portable home run fence and a portable backstop were purchased, and both fields now have new working score boards.
Weeds were pulled, grass mowed and local secondary students painted the concessions stand and dugouts a Patriots blue. Fences were repaired and extended to protect spectators from foul balls.
Derek Sammons, who coaches the 12u team, planned the field’s design.
“He spearheaded the whole design of the field,” Metzger said.
Both fields were used in June for the 130 youth participating in the 2021 summer rec program.
The fields were also open for the adults who play in the five-community fast pitch softball league.
Several days a week in June, children and adults gathered at one or both of the ballfields, and spectators watched children as young as 3 learn the fundamentals of baseball while older players on the south end competed in a heated game with a neighboring town.
Youth teams who traveled to Hills in June for the 12-and-under and 14-and-under baseball games shared positive feedback with summer recreation director Halden Van Wyhe.
“People have noticed the improvements,” Van Wyhe said.
Comments ranged to how nice the town looks, and with the ballfields located in the center of town, shows how much the community cares about where they live, he said.
Last year all the summer rec baseball and softball programs were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This summer participation is at normal numbers, and the new multi-purpose field allows the 12-and-younger teams to play in Hills due to availability of the portable home run fence and backstop.
Community members scrambled this spring to get the field ready.
About $15,000 in materials were purchased through a grant from the Luverne Area Community Foundation, business donations and from the city of Hills.
Metzger, a councilman and father to three (two of the players and his oldest is an umpire) brought the issue to board meetings and helped coordinate the completed work by just purchasing the materials.
“Thankfully it was all volunteer work for the labor,” he said.
This summer the exteriors of both the visitor and home team dugouts will be refurbished along the concessions stand.
The batting cage will also be overhauled.
“By the end of summer, it will look totally different,” Metzger said.

You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.