New turf, new season, same big expectations for Hawks
Hiland assistant coach Richie Mast works with several Hawks on some infield fundamentals during a recent outdoor practice. The new turf will allow the Hawks to get more valuable time on the field prior to the beginning of the season.
As two-time defending state champions, the Hiland Hawks baseball program doesn’t need a whole lot more ways to inspire its players to want to get out and work toward capturing a third straight title.
Well, they got one anyway, the new enticement being the new turf infield that now adorns Lehman Field, along with the turf infield on the Hiland softball field.
The new turf was completely funded by community dollars, and receiving the backing of the community is nothing new for Hiland athletics or the baseball program, which continues to develop what is one of the premier baseball facilities in the state.
“This community has shown its true colors and incredible support time and time again with their commitment to the student-athletes here at Hiland,” Hiland head baseball coach Chris Dages said. “It’s phenomenal and allows our athletes to experience sports in the best way possible.”
Dages pointed to the Perry Reese Jr. Community Center, Lehman Field and the athletic facility, the new track and soccer field, the tennis courts, and now the turf projects — all of which were privately funded projects supported by the East Holmes community.
Lehman Field began to take shape several years ago when then head coach Tom Gibson’s vision came to life with new field lights, a press box and the all-purpose training facility that also serves as the left-field wall.
The complex has allowed Hiland athletes in golf, softball and baseball the ability to work year round, something that has helped fashion the past two state titles for the Hawks.
Now the new turf will allow Hiland to get in more outdoor practices, especially in the preseason. With weather always a big concern in spring sports, the turf will mean fewer cancellations.
“Our hope is that we won’t have to cram a bunch of games into the back end of the schedule just to make up games we lost due to weather throughout the spring,” Dages said.
On March 18 the Hawks were busy practicing on the new turf, something Dages said probably wouldn’t have happened had the turf not been installed.
The new turf also makes for far fewer bad hops and less dangerous lips that had been developing in the infield because of the loss of dirt.
Dages, whose teams are well known for their fielding prowess prior to the turf, said this will only help build confidence in his players while giving them more experience on turf fields, on which teams play the majority of their tournament games including the state tournament.
“I think playing on turf infield will only make our infielders more comfortable and more aggressive in attacking ground balls,” Dages said. “More importantly, over the past couple of years, we’ve had some really bad lips developing on the old infield where it could be a bit dangerous.”
The team was eager to work out on the new field, and it didn’t take them long to find out how incredible it really is.
“This is going to be really fun to play on,” second baseman and starting pitcher Kaden Kandel said. “It’s awesome that now we can get out on the field a lot more, and it’s going to be consistent.”
He said it is already paying dividends, with more guys staying after practice to field ground balls and put in extra work.
“It’s opened so many new doors for us to practice,” Kandel said. “We are so fortunate to have this and to have a community that supports us so well. It’s only going to help us get better.”
As two-time state champions, Dages said confidence is high and expectations are big for this year’s team, which returns a strong core of talent both in the field and at the plate.
He said his players don’t mind having a target on their backs because they welcome the added pressure of getting every team’s best effort.
“It doesn’t bother me, and I don’t think it bothers these guys either. They kind of welcome the challenge,” Dages said. “They just come out and play hard and love to play the game. We demand a lot of them and work them hard in the offseason and during the season, and they keep showing up and putting in the effort. They are anything but satisfied, regardless of what the record is, and the state titles don’t mean anything because this is a new year.”