For most, it may seem that in sports like Baseball, the costs end with the bats and balls, and that the district covers most of the price. But according to baseball coach Marty Johnston, the cost can, in some cases, fall onto him and his team.
How much do supplies cost?
“So typically, for supplies, the district gives us about [a] $2,500 [budget] per season that’s used mostly to cover games [and] equipment.”
How much does the school/district cover?
“[The district] will pay for umpires and then transportation for most contests. [But] if it’s anything that’s excessive, like traveling to a tournament that’s out of state, we have to fundraise for the cost of that, which includes transportation and then lodging and food.”
How much fundraising is needed?
“There’s quite a bit of fundraising that’s necessary for [these] types of things Each sport is going to be a little bit different, especially when it comes to facilities like baseball [or] softball, there’s a lot more time and money in terms of keeping up [on] the fields, so mowing, fertilizing, and chalk for [chalk lines].
What are some significant time costs?
“[I’ve spent] many hours a weekend per month, especially once the season starts in the spring and into the summer. [And] maintaining the facility goes all the way through summer, so we have to mow the fields, [and] we have to prep the fields as a coaching staff. The district will come [mow] the outfield, but we have to mow the inner field grass. It is a lot of additional work that goes into maintaining facilities and just actually coaching the sport.
What are the energy costs?
“I probably devote quite a bit of hours to it, [so] it takes a lot of energy, and we just want to make sure that we have something that people care for. It takes a lot of time and effort.”
Why are turf fields gaining more popularity for Baseball in Oregon?
“In Albany, we only have two turf fields, and those are both football fields. And when you look across the state and in [The] Willamette Valley, more and more, especially baseball and softball are moving toward turf fields. It allows us to have a lot better playability in the wet season and early in the spring.”
