Officials Call for West Shamokin Baseball/Softball Upgrades
West Shamokin Assistant Baseball Coach Michael Cornetti tries to persuade Armstrong School District board directors that West Shamokin baseball and softball fields need an upgrade.
by Jonathan Weaver
While Armstrong School District officials hope to complete athletic facilities on the new Armstrong Junior/Senior High campus in Manor Township, a group of coaches and teachers hope they don’t forget about needed upgrades at the other high school.
West Shamokin Assistant Baseball Coach Mike Cornetti showed school directors last night photographs of swamped baselines – which he said is a common sight on both the Wolves’ baseball and softball fields. He said, while weather the past two seasons has been “a huge hindrance” to spring athletics, drainage issues have caused officials to play games at away fields, at neutral sites or to cancel them altogether.
“Last year, our team was originally scheduled to play 20 games, but only ended up playing 11. Of the nine games cancelled, five of them were slated to be played at West Shamokin,” Cornetti said. “I don’t believe this is the best way to highlight the athletic talents West Shamokin has.”
Coaches have only conducted a half-dozen practices outdoors, have set-up a mock infield in the outfield grass and student athletes dug holes into the field to gather water.
“Without the help of our players, we probably wouldn’t have been able to play on (the fields) as early as we did,” Cornetti said.
Sophomore Varsity Softball Athlete Lakien Porter, of Templeton, sat among a dozen teachers and parents, and like them, also supported the need for upgrades.
She said softball players have also been requested before games to “try as best as we can to get the water off.”
“You’re always slipping and falling,” Porter said. “I think we need a lot of stuff, but I think the drainage would definitely help.”
Booster parents have purchased field improvement equipment or to a local landscaping company, and they are willing to continue, but Cornetti hoped school board directors to consider an expanded solution.
Head Baseball Coach Dave Powers said the field was originally built by the school construction company with no drains. Drains have since been installed, but only in front of dugouts and are supposedly clogged.
French drains and resodding could cost upwards of $100,000, Athletic Director Ray Blystone said. He called 15 feet from first base a “swamp” area where players might be leery of foul balls.
Facilities/Property Services Director Bill Henry said the adverse conditions have also affected the school tennis courts. Drainage was also added to the football field a few years ago.
“There has to be some sort of natural spring, something where this water is infiltrating from, because it’s not draining ever now,” Henry said.
Regardless of the reason, Region III Board Representative Stan Berdell said the fields are “terrible.” He did not know the fields were as bad as the photos showed.
“It’s not acceptable for our students to be playing on that. I think we need to act, find out what the problem is,” Berdell said. “Clearly we need to do some work out there.
“Even though money’s tight, our students need to be treated fairly and have the same conditions as anybody else in the district.”
School Board President Joseph Close agreed, and said directors will ask for estimates to make some improvements to the fields. An L.R. Kimball facilities study was previously approved.
Blystone said other possible upgrades brainstormed by coaches, parents and athletes include the need for more storage for athletic and physical education equipment and school projects and a fieldhouse.
School Superintendent Chris DeVivo said more storage has been needed ever since he was building principal and the school opened in 2000.
A fieldhouse could be made up of training rooms, locker rooms and offices to benefit not only the athletes, but the rest of the student body and community, Blystone said. Students are currently constructing storage space under the football stadium.
In other news, the seven board representatives present were all recognized during “School Board Recognition Month” – which is held across the state each January.
School Board Representatives Christopher Choncek and James Rearic were recognized for their eight years of service to the school board through a certificate from the Pennsylvania School Board Association, while they and other elected officials were recognized with student projects completed by Armstrong Senior High Visual Communication students.
DeVivo thanked all for the “time, effort and energies” that the local representatives give during the school year.
Armstrong School District school board administrators and directors talk with West Shamokin coaches following last night’s regular meeting.
Armstrong School District | jweaver January 12, 2016
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By Elderton Parent, January 12, 2016 @ 10:00 AM
I think it is great that the students, coaches and parents are doing what they can to help the issue. What is sad it that it had to come to this to get the attention it deserves. The field house was promised many many years ago but never was built.
I certainly hope that the board follows through and corrects this ASAP. At this point there is definite concern for the safety of the athletes.
By Jerri, January 12, 2016 @ 7:02 PM
Money, money, money. Here we go again. Never mind that one of our biggest employers, Rosebud, has all but shut down and just laid off 430 more employees last week. Never mind that it’s more common for businesses and stores to close than to ever see any growth. In fact, the fastest thing growing is the ASD budget and the tax bills we homeowners get as a reward for living in this school district. Of course, Berdell would jump on this. He wants to be everyone’s buddy and has no real idea of how the average taxpayer lives. Choncek is once again acts exactly as expected. Trying to act like he “cares” about what’s going on at West Shamokin so he can assure the unnecessary and unaffordable precious athletic fields at his precious new high school. Once he and his cronies milk every dime they can to be sure that his area get the best of everything we can’t afford, he will go back to his true colors. Use every complaint about West Shamokin to push his next agenda. They have three elementary schools that need renovated desperately and room for West Shamokin kids to fit into the new school. It’s only a matter of time before all the high school kids (and any money being spent on them) will be forced into the castle on the hill. That may be a good thing….at least then, maybe they may use a little bit of that money to buy enough books for the kids to use since the kids at both schools share books in some classes. Giving these people any type of recognition is a joke. Their reward is they do what they want and when they want at any cost.
By lowfatlowcarbnosugarcheesecake, January 12, 2016 @ 7:31 PM
Well- this is what you get for building a school on a swamp.
I think it’s sad that the PSBA just gave an award to a guy who drives around totally wasted… His 8 years of “service”- if that’s what you want to call it- should have been cut short with a resignation after he was convicted of that crime.
But let’s just sweep that under the rug and pretend it didn’t happen. That’s what this board does best… I’m sure they’ll manage to ignore what’s going on at WS too or use it as a reason to close it… Time will tell what these fools have cooking up behind closed doors!
By India, January 13, 2016 @ 10:35 AM
My biggest surprise as I finished this article was to see that Mr.Choncek and Mr.Rearic were actually present at the meeting. More often then not an article about ASD meetings ends with “Board members Choncek and Rearic were absent.” I would be interested to find out the ratio on that specific topic. As to the drainage problems at W.S.. The school was built poorly , why would the athletic field be any different? Why would we pay Kimball & Co. for more ” studies”? Aren’t they the same firm that is responsible for the entire mess in the first place ? Mr. Berdell states that he had ” no idea” of how badly the situation was. Mr. Berdell, I know for a fact that parents call you for many reasons yet, you continue to play clueless. When will this area and it’s taxpayers finally get someone to be on their side ? When will some one be able to step up and do the right thing for our children without being made out to be a villain ? This area is in serious trouble . Our children’s futures are in serious trouble. Wake up Armstrong County. We have been allowing people to make heinously poor decisions for us long enough. When you sit back and allow it to happen, you are equally at fault. To remain silent when you know a crime is being committed,make you an accessory to that crime.
By Just sayin, January 13, 2016 @ 6:53 PM
lowfat: You are doing the low-down dance.
How many times, in most of our pasts, after weddings or whatever, have most of us driven drunk when we shouldn’t have (and were damn lucky we didn’t kill others or ourselves)?????? We all learn from our stupid mistakes.
If it were up to you, you’d have “the guy” put in a pillory. Well, you basically did.
And why don’t you run for the school board next time?
Do you really think that some teachers don’t drink and drive on a regular basis (not talking wasted).
Do you think that some don’t smoke a doobie or two during summer vacation (especially in Colorado)??
Jesus’ mom is the only one who can throw stones.