On Friday, March 15, the Roxboro Community School (RCS) women's softball teams cut the ribbon on their new field at Optimist Park after almost two years of work.
For years, the softball teams has practiced and played at Bushy Fork Park, but it was further from RCS than Optimist Park. Head Coach Michael Clark, said “While we enjoyed the support of the Bushy Fork community and the hospitality of the Busy Fork Board, it was never our field.” Now, the softball team has a home field that is truly theirs as well as being at the same location as the baseball team.
With this being a goal of Clark’s for a long time, he helped get the actual process for the field’s construction started two years ago, beginning with getting approval from the county. Over the past few months, Clark, along with the other coaches have put time in on the field almost every weekend and many weeknights to make it ready for this season.
The softball team has also had several work days at the field with both parents and athletes helping. These athletes spent many of their weekends raking, spreading dirt, shoveling grass, and even building shelves in the shed. When asked about the effect of these workdays on the team, senior Zoe Goddard, said, “I think that all of us being at the fields together on weekends has allowed us to connect in ways that we wouldn’t be able to with just practice and games.” Not only has the team dedicated their weekends to working on this new field, they also spent extra time during this week to work on the field as well, creating a special bond between the girls. “I do feel like the work days have brought them closer as a team but what I have loved so far from having the field is seeing them stay after our official practice is over and put in extra work together just the girls,” Clark said.
On top of all the physical work that the team has put in, the softball team has also held fundraisers to raise money for the new field. In 2022, the softball team held an envelope fundraiser on Bulldog Day and a chicken plate fundraiser in October. Businesses and individuals in the community also donated their time, services, and finances to the construction of the new field. Clark said, “Honestly, without the community’s support, this project could not have happened.”
The hard work of the team has also succeeded in giving them a sense of pride and ownership in their field, with Clark saying, “It gives the girls a sense that this is ours, they deserve this and it makes them appreciate the field more, and teaches them the importance of taking care of what is theirs.”