Can a Graffiti-Covered, Weed-Infest

Aerial view of the renovated Genoa High School baseball diamond, horne of the Cornets. By Bob Tracinski iiii••• ~ The Cornets, pictured here at Three Rivers an a graffiti-covered, weed-infest- Stadium during a high ed, worn-out baseball diamond school tournament, be converted into a "Field of pitch in on field C maintenance at Dreams?" The answer, at least for Genoa Genoa High. High School in Genoa, OH, is yes, with (Below) The field's the right attitude. skinned areas and Positive attitude was the driving mound were rebuilt force behind coach Jeff Thompson's two- with a mix designed to resemble red phase, dream renovation plan. That Georgia clay. same attitude launched a community-wide program that turned the baseball field areas were rock-hard, crusted, at Genoa High School into the 1993 and filled with weeds. Weeds High School Diamond of the Year. also climbed halfway up the Thompson was deeply committed to fences and crowded out the few Genoa and its baseball program. He'd tufts of live grass in the infield been the assistant varsity coach at the and outfield sections. The dugouts school for seven years. When varsity and scoreboard were covered coach Bob Baird resigned in 1990 after with profane graffiti. 25 years in the position, Thompson Blueprint For A Rebuilder stepped up to the challenge. Thompson well-understood the con- Blue Jays and played two seasons in the And what a challenge it was. nection between a quality field and qual- minor league. Although the field was well-con- ity play. He's played baseball for most of structed initially in 1976 and Baird had his life, beginning with Little League. In addition to putting in hours on kept it in good shape, there came a sea- Thompson attended the College of South the field as a player, Thompson started son where circumstances combined to cut Idaho, a junior college, and then moved working part-time during his sopho- off field care for a full summer and fall. on to Mercer in Macon, GA, a four-year more year in high school for Paul Riser, Even with sod only a couple of years old Division I school, where he played then-recreation director for the Oregon at the time, an extremely dry season, baseball for 3-1/2 years. He was drafted Recreation Department. Riser assigned hordes of turf-eating insects, and exten- in his junior year by the Baltimore Thompson to the tasks offield building sive vandalism reduced the field to a near- Orioles, but opted to complete his senior and maintenance. ly unplayable eyesore. The skinned year. He was then drafted by the Toronto continued on page 18 16 sporfsTURF Diam.ond of the Year The Plan continued from page 16 After assessing the condition of the "I worked on fields part-time for field, Thompson approached Athletic nearly 15 years," says Thompson. "Riser Director Jeff Bunck with a two-phase plan provided me with hands-on training in to ensure player safety and protect the the basics offield construction and main- school district's investment in the field. tenance, and the opportunity to see the Phase I included basic clean-up and way quality fields affect play and play- field reconstruction. Since the infield er safety." would have to be torn up, Phase I includ- After being cut by the Blue Jays, ed an underground irrigation system Thompson moved on to a teaching and for that area. coaching position with the Genoa School Phase II called for adding green mesh District. As a certified teacher in physi- to the outfield fence for better visibility and greater field definition, and artifi- cal education and health, and with guid- cial turf in front of the dugouts and for ance counselor credentials, Thompson the on-deck circles. These steps have has filled varying slots with the schools. been completed. For four years, he taught physical education Comet's coach Jeff Thompson (left) Still to come in Phase II are a new at the kindergarten to sixth-grade levels. with Pittsburgh Pirates manager Jim Leyland. scoreboard for left center field, a two-story For another four years, he taught phys- press box/concession stand combination ical education at the high school and to be located behind home plate, an served as a part-time counselor at the strengthens the connection when the underground irrigation system in the out- junior high. Currently, he's teaching idea of going out for baseball first hits. field, and a warning track. physical education to seventh and eighth Thompson encourages that early con- Bunck took the plan to the school graders at the junior high, tenth graders nection by holding pitching and catching administration and to the school'sboosters at the high school, ana. counseling when to get the ball rolling. When current camps for youngsters in grades four he can work it into his schedule. Athletic Director Dennis Spisak came through eight. This system-wide activity These moves within the system have on board, he continued to give full support benefitted the baseball program, Thompson also makes him a well-known figure in the to the program. observes. While it's "cool"for the younger community and showcaseshis commitment People were skeptical when Thompson kids to have a coach as a teacher, it also to a quality program for student athletes. first proposed the two-phase plan. 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Holland/ Aer-Way 4~~~S~y~adT(lRF 1-800-457-8310 e Pacific Coast: 1-800- 663-8196 North Baltimore, Ohio 45872 Circle 119 on Postage Free Card (419) 655-2020, Fax (419) 352-1244 ·18 sporfsTURF Circle 110 on Postage Free Card Circle 111 on Postage Free Card original outlay of dollars sounded expen- with Thompson each step of the way. equal to a five-foot radius around the sive, but the idea of saving money with Once the excavation was completed, the mound, and a two-foot radius around a lower long-term budget and reduced irrigation system was installed and the home plate. The field was fertilized and liability exposure were strong selling soil was brought back and graded with a then topdressed with a layer of clean points. Once the original concept was sold, Ivinch to 100-foot slope. straw to discourage hungry birds that there was nothing but positive response The weeds and remaining grass in gather in the area. from the entire school system and the outfield were chemically eliminated At that point, fall weather turned surrounding community. and low spots were filled. Then, both wintery so quickly that Thompson real- Looking ahead, the Board of Education the infield and outfield were overseeded ized it would take the entire next year to decided to run a four-inch water line from with approximately 200 pounds of Scott's get the turf established. Again, looking to the school to the field to supply water to Pro-Turf Mix, a combination of blue- the future, the administration and student the football, softball, and track com- grass and perennial ryegrass varieties. To athletes accepted the decision and agreed plex, rather than attempt to continue oper- keep as even a surface as possible and avoid to a full year of "away" games. ating the existing well system. The new ridges, Thompson left an unseeded area continued on page 20 pipe is sufficient to support the infield and projected outfield irrigation sys- tems, as well as supply water for the athletes, and may eventually support the water needs of a stadium - still in the "dream" stages. This all fits into the plan Thompson was working hard to sell, a plan that was, in essence, an investment in the future. The athletic director, athletic department, and boosters agreed to fund an infield underground irrigation system using Toro 700 series rotary pop-up heads. Costs were split equally between the athletic department and boosters. Assistant coaches Keith Belcik and Gary Nissen also share Thompson's commitment to the field. Belcik and Thompson have known each other since kindergarten and played baseball together throughout their school years. Belcik played at the professional level for two years with the New York Mets farm club. Nissen, a graduate of Malone College in Now the monster gees Ohio, is a Genoa High alumnus and was the team's starting pitcher as a senior in even deeper - 24 inches. 1988. He lives directly across from the Nothing else even comes close. school, so he ends up as the "prime mon- itor" of the irrigation system. Even Steven Spielberg couldn't dream up a more Putting It Together piercing scenario for knifing through turf ...introducing When the field was initially con- the Mode140S.2S0 Veni-Drain~ 0 other machine structed in 1976, an underlying tile goes this deep and heave the turf forward cracking drainage system with a stone and sand the sidewalls of the core hole making it easier for air base was installed. This tile system runs and water to penetrate. So if you have to go deep, look beneath the field with extensions to a to Verti-Drain to get you there. neighborhood creek for controlled removal .

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