Dixie Youth Baseball seeks Sebring's, R-PAC's help

Dixie Youth Baseball is developing a five-year plan for improvements to the city's Max Long Field Complex, the first phase of which is to resurface fields 2 and 4, which are the smaller fields, to improve drainage.

John Armentrout, president of Dixie Youth Baseball Sebring, and Andrew Bible, treasurer, approached the city about getting permission to go to the Highlands County Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee (R-PAC) to request additional funding.

Council unanimously authorized the request Tuesday night.

Thursday afternoon the league met with the R-PAC board. Armentrout said they would present the request for $18,000 to the Highlands County Commission at its next meeting with the R-PAC board's recommendation to approve.

"It's nice to see the community and everybody behind us," said Armentrout. "I know people have put a lot of time into this."

If approved the work should be done and ready for opening day on Feb. 15, 2010, he said.

Drainage has been a big problem in the last couple of years. This year, during city and district tournament time, hours were spent raking, shoveling and trying to divert water off the fields so the tournament could be played.

"A few years ago we did infield improvements but we didn't match up the infield and the outfields too well which created drainage problems," said Jim Higgins, the city's golf course superintendent, also in charge of Max Long. "We're going to re-grade the fields for drainage."

The league is proposing a three-way partnership between Dixie Youth Baseball, the city and the county to get the work done.

The city is proposing to put up $18,000 in irrigation, fill dirt, cutting and removing old sod, pre-plant fertilizer, labor and equipment. Dixie Youth Baseball is proposing to put up $5,000 of in-kind service.

The league asked the R-PAC board if they will put up $18,000 for rough and finish grading, sod, sod installation and drainage materials.

The new clay to grass interface should eliminate a hazard for players where ground balls can take an unusual and sometimes dangerous hop. As it stands, "lips" form where grass meets clay, causing the problem.

"It should no longer be an issue," said Higgins.

The board also has been working on other long-term improvements to the complex, which could include new bleachers, dugouts, safety netting to protect spectators from foul balls and many other possibilities.

The facility is used by hundreds of local youth and their parents almost every month of the year.

Dixie Youth Baseball Sebring has about 35 teams with 350 to 380 players from ages 4 to just before they enter high school, said Armentrout, not including players from visiting teams. Tournaments are held there that also attract players and fans from across the state.