Ball field makeover

Play ball! Recently named the new Summer Rec Director in Minneota, Dave Van Watermeulen saw a dire need to improve the softball/baseball practice fields north of St. Edward’s School.

But funds were nearly non-existent, so Van Watermeulen and his wife, Cassie, took on the project to give one of the fields a new makeover. And after the Van Watermeulens worked on the field for a month, it is basically ready for use.

“It was just black dirt and grass before, and the field was all lumpy,” said Van Watermeulen, who is in Purchasing with the Department of Transportation in Marshall.

The field chosen for the much-needed improvements is the one farthest west of the three. Justin Pesch and Nick Esping volunteered their time and use of their skid-loaders to dig out the infield and a portion of the outfield. Tom Sterzinger donated the gravel for the base of the field.

The Van Watermeulens footed the bill for the cost of the Agri-lime for the field from D & G Excavating in Marshall; which donated half of a load.

“I went over to the (public school) softball fields and made measurements for this field, so I could get the distance between the bases exactly right,” Van Watermeulen said.

Emily and Andy Hennen purchased new bases from Borch’s in Marshall and donated them for the field. “It’s the real deal now,” Van Watermeulen exclaimed. Approximately 250 boys and girls that go to Minneota and Ivanhoe schools are signed up for the Summer Rec program.

The boys and girls practice tee-ball together on teams from age four until they have completed Kindergarten. Those older than that break into various softball and baseball groups comprised of first and second graders, third and fourth graders, fifth and sixth graders, and seventh and eight graders.

Summer Rec game are played on the public school softball fields, while practices are held on the St. Edward's fields four days a week. When playing games, concession stands will be used for the first time to defray some of the cost of the newly-renovated field and for any future renovation projects to the fields at St. Edward's.

"The other fields at St. Edward's need to be fixed sometime, too," said Van Watermeulen. "But first things first." Van Watermeulen would also like to add benches and a shed at the newly renovated field in the future.

"(St. Edward's School) is going to benefit from this field, too," said Van Watermeulen. "And anyone who just wants to get up a game sometime and play for the fun of it will have a better field now."