New DCHS Baseball Indoor Training Facility Almost Complete

Play ball!
Although some finishing touches are needed before it’s completed, the new indoor training facility for the DCHS baseball program is now open and being used by the players just in time for the upcoming season.
“It’s being used now. This is the second week they (players) have been in it,” said Jeff McMillen, President of the DCHS Tiger Baseball Booster Club.
The boosters spearheaded the fund raising drive for construction of the 40 x 81 foot metal building, which consists of two hitting and two pitching lanes on artificial turf, dressing room with lockers, coaches office, restroom facility with shower, and a storage room.
“We started talking about this a couple of years ago. Coach (Tracy) Slone believed in it and he got us believing in it and we got busy. We’ve been able to raise the money and do the things we needed to do for the program to take it to the next level. We’re very proud of what we have and the community has been wonderful to help us,” McMillen told WJLE.
Local businesses and individuals have supported the effort with cash donations and others have provided volunteer labor to help build the facility. “The only thing we paid anybody to do in here was we had the metal put on the roof. Everything else is volunteer labor from mostly a few parents of the players and we’ve had some people who stepped up who have construction businesses. We got our permits pulled by a licensed electrician. We did the wiring and he did the inspection and we had to go under state inspection too. But everything is up to codes,” said McMillen.
Still, a few other projects remain to make the building complete. “We don’t have our water and sewer hooked up yet but they’re in the process of finishing up the sewer. We’ll put the water in within the next couple of days. We have heat in the building but we need a separate heater for the dressing room. And we’re hoping to pour a little concrete around the front of the building to keep the gravel out of the inside. It’s just the finish up work you have to do. As money becomes available we’ll do all those things. Hopefully, we’ll get it all done before the season is over,” he said.
McMillen said the new facility has already generated enthusiasm. “I think it will be good for the program and the kids. They have already bought into it. We’ve worked out here until eight, nine, and ten o’clock at night and just about every night we’re out here there are kids out here too staying and hitting as long as we’re here,” he said.
The DCHS Tiger Pre-Season Schedule is as follows:
Saturday, February 14: Stewarts Creek (AWAY): 11:00 A.M. (PRE-SEASON)
Thursday, February 26: Friendship Christian (HOME): 4:00 p.m. (PRE-SEASON)
Tuesday, March 3: Siegel (AWAY): 5:00 p.m. (PRE-SEASON)
Thursday, March 5: Cookeville(AWAY): 5:00 p.m. (PRE-SEASON)
The season opener will be Monday, March 9 at home against Grundy County at 5:00 p.m.