Wooster breaks ground on baseball, softball turf project
Leading the way for the Wooster baseball and softball turf campaign were committee members Alex Mallue, left, Joe Winge, Doug Johnson, Bobbie Douglas, Steve Young, Jimmy Williams, Tim Pettorini Jr., Carrie Becker and Larry Poulson.
The $727,000 Wooster baseball and softball turf and field improvement project was already a done deal, but Mother Nature provided a symbolic last-minute endorsement during the groundbreaking ceremony on the evening of Oct. 1.
A light rain began to fall on the Wooster varsity baseball field, forcing school officials, coaches, committee members and other dignitaries into the first-base dugout. As they huddled together, they were reminded of Ohio’s notoriously rainy springs and how fortunate the Generals are to be adding turf infields.
“It’s appropriate that it’s raining today because we live in an area where there’s a lot of precipitation, which impacts our games and practices,” Wooster Athletic Director Alex Mallue said. “It impacts our student-athletes getting to play games and every school in the region.”
Mallue said the project offers much more than just reliable playing surfaces for Wooster’s student-athletes.
“There’s such a market for youth summer tournaments, and on a turf field, teams can play up to 12 hours a day. We see a lot of teams, individuals and groups coming in from outside the area and state. Those visitors stay at our hotels, eat at our restaurants and shop at our local businesses,” Mallue said.
The rain subsided after a few minutes, and those in attendance were treated to a giant rainbow visible beyond the outfield fence, offering a bright outlook for the program’s future.
The turf and fencing project, which will bring AstroTurf infields to the baseball and softball diamonds, was made possible by a $429,225 fundraising effort led by a committee that included baseball coach Steve Young, softball coach Jimmy Williams and several community members. Wooster City Schools contributed $150,000 to the turf project and pledged $178,000 toward new fencing for both fields.
The two largest private donors were Upward Bound Youth, which gave $100,000, and United Titanium, with a $50,000 pledge. In recognition of the donation, UBY was granted naming rights and selected Legacy Field for the complex.
“We’re really excited about the project, and we give all the glory to God for the resources and how we’ve been able to steward those,” said Stephanie McCoy, assistant executive director of UBY, who ceremoniously turned the first shovelful of dirt. “The Upward Bound Youth goal is to help youth and families in their spiritual, social, emotional, physical and educational development.”
McCoy explained the significance of the field’s name: “We picked Legacy because we want all the students coming through this program to think about the kind of lives they’re leading and the impact they’re making on their community. We want them to think about the legacy they’re leaving in their families and community.”
AstroTurf will provide the turf, with AgDesign handling installation and Southway Fence working on the fencing. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed by November.
Young, who led Wooster to three straight OCC baseball titles from 2021-23, including a regional appearance in 2023, has been advocating for turf since he joined the program nine years ago.
“Literally, when I got hired, the first question I asked was, ‘When can we get turf?’” Young said. “This has been a long time coming. This is going to impact our program and community, from tee-ball all the way up to the high school and even alumni. It’s a huge competitive advantage, allowing our guys to work year round more consistently.”
The committee estimates that approximately 125,000 kids will benefit annually from the improved fields, between scholastic and summer games and tournaments for all ages.
“This will have a lasting impact on this community for a very long time,” Young said. “I want to say thank you to everyone involved, and we can’t wait to use the field.”
The groundbreaking ceremony concluded at the softball field, where Williams addressed a group that included several softball players. He expressed hope that they would remember this night as a turning point for their program.
“This is huge for both our baseball and softball programs,” Williams said. “Steve has built a successful baseball program, and we’re building that in softball. This is the next step for us, and the school district has been supportive of letting Steve and me help coordinate field usage with youth players.”
Wooster City Schools Superintendent Gabe Tudor said putting together such a substantial fundraising effort would be unfathomable in many communities.
“When Alex said a couple of years ago, ‘Hey, we’d like to raise money for a turf project for baseball and softball,’ it wasn’t that hard for the board and me to say, ‘Sure, that sounds good,’” Tudor said. “What was amazing was how quickly it all came together.”
Tudor said Wooster’s sense of unity is what sets the community apart.
“This is a special place because of how we unite and work together to help kids,” he said.
Tudor pointed to last spring as a reminder of the difficulties faced without turf fields. “We didn’t play a home game for three weeks after the season started because of field conditions,” he said.