New softball field is one of the best in the region

With the renovation of the Vandalia High School softball field nearing completion, coach Brian Buscher already has seen the benefits.

Though favorable weather has helped, he said that his team has already been on the field for practice five out of the first six days, which is something that would not have happened in the past.

“That makes our players that much better,” Buscher said. “Being in the gym is just not the same as catching the ball in the air or fielding a ball off of the dirt.”

The improved field surface has been in place for awhile now, but add in new block dugouts, a block backstop and netting behind home plate instead of a chain-link fence, and the end result is one of the best fields in the region.

Through the work of the Vandalia Field of Dreams committee and several donations, the project has been in the construction phase since last fall.

And while the work isn’t 100-percent completed yet, Buscher is still very excited to get to the first home game on March 19.

“I don’t know if there’s going to be a nicer field in southern Illinois,” he said. “It’s going to be a great facility. I’m ecstatic to see it up, because when it was going through, you didn’t know if it was going to be finalized.”

Major financial contributors to the project will be recognized prior to the first home game, which is against Lincolnwood.

A first-pitch ceremony will take place before the 4:30 p.m. start time, with representatives of the following organizations and businesses partaking:

•First National Bank
•Vandalia Sports Boosters
•Vandalia High School
•Ruemmelin Foundation
•Vandalia Park District
•Vandalia Softball Alumni
•Jay Lowry
•Shulman Brothers

A similar ceremony will take place at the baseball field on the same day to recognize its new donors.
In other action at Tuesday’s Field of Dreams meeting:

•The committee plans to have engraved brick pavers installed around the new flag pole between the high school fields by April 15, weather-permitting.

Pavers were sold last summer and fall, and the committee has about 50 of them to place.

•The committee approved a recommendation to become a non-profit member of the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, the committee is also in the process of filing new non-profit paperwork with the state because of its changes in leadership positions.

•While they aren’t sure if it’s possible, committee members will be looking into trying to host a college round-robin tournament at the high school baseball diamond in the future.

Teams the committee will initially contact about the idea are Kaskaskia College, Greenville College and the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville club baseball team.

•The committee’s next public meeting will be on April 17th at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.