Sierra Vista beautifies ballpark

The Sierra Vista High School baseball team took what the school district gave them three years ago and improved it. But it took money and creative fund-raising tactics to add a press box, refreshment stand and other additions to make the school's baseball field feel like home.

The most recent addition to the Mountain Lions' field are brick pavers, designed in the shape of a baseball, at the entrance to the modest stadium. Each brick is available for sale for $100. Once purchased, the brick will be engraved with the donor's name as a permanent display of gratitude. After engraving, the brick will be placed back into the baseball display.

"We all like playing on a nice baseball field is where it started," said Coach Nathan Selby. "I'm not going to knock what the district gives you. Most people do some improvements."

The team started by adding batting cages.

"And it has just kind of grown from there," Selby said.

Doug Anthony, president of Stonescape Pavers, has donated the labor for a similar fund-raiser at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas baseball stadium and at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum. Pavestone Company, the manufacturer of the brick pavers, donated the materials.

"It's unique. It's something that's set in stone. It will be there forever," Anthony said. "They can go and see their name. It will always be there."

Where the fund-raiser at Sierra Vista is significantly smaller than larger scale fund-raisers -- a church raised $2.5 million by selling bricks -- it has the potential to raise $105,000 for the baseball program.

"It's a really effective fund-raiser for people," Anthony said. "When this comes along, it's no big deal to send my guys out for four or five days to install them."

The Sierra Vista baseball program is going into its third season. Selby hopes to have some of the major improvement projects done before the first pitch, even though there is more to be done on the field in the future. The team is currently in spring training.

"We have some more stuff to do," Selby said.

And Anthony said he would be there to help them along.

"My way of looking at it is me, growing up, I went to Bonanza (High School). I know how it is playing for a program that doesn't have a lot of money," said Anthony, a 1992 graduate.

Those interested in the Sierra Vista baseball program fund-raiser can call 799-6820.


<<--[back]