The construction, which started in the beginning of September, has yet to end nearly a month behind the expected completion date, RBHS athletic director Jen Mast said.
“The batting cage need has been there for a long time,” Mast said. “A lot of schools have batting facilities in their gym. We don’t really have extra gym space.”
Although both the baseball and softball teams brought the idea to the athletics office, the RBHS Booster Club funded the $140,000 project. The club raised the money through its For the Love of the Game dinner and auction. Money from the fundraiser also paid for the new track shed on the opposite side of the field. The school will start using the storage space in the newer structure immediately after completion.
“All of our outdoor sports will have some sort of storage base in there,” Mast said. The district keeps “some of their equipment out here that is specific to our campus. The Rock Bridge Bruin truck will go in there.”
Physical education teacher and football coach Justin Conyers said the storage space will help keep equipment away from harsh winter weather. It will also help loosen the burden of overcrowding in existing sheds. For example, the football team had filled the older shed with its equipment.
“It’s gonna be great for us,” Conyers said. “It’s been needed. It’s going to serve all sports well, especially for us, to have our own little space that we can call our own and get all of our stuff out of the elements of winter.”
The batting cage will also help the softball and baseball teams practice more efficiently. MSHSAA does not allow teams to be on the field before season, but with this addition, those who need it will be able to practice hitting at their leisure for preseason training as well as serving as a practice facility in inclement weather.
“We have good hitting already, but [the new facility] is going to improve that even more,” sophomore softball player Conner Logsdon said. “If we need hitting time, we can go there, or if we just need a place for when it’s raining.”
The softball team uses a private indoor facility owned by Logsdon’s parents. Having a batting cage on campus will be much more convenient.
“We won’t have to go anywhere to get to it,” Logsdon said. “We can just go across the field.”
By Nomin-Erdene Jagdagdorj
