To the editor:
My wife, Amanda, and I graduated from Ruston High School in 1996. We loved our time within that special place. She played softball and I played football. We received an amazing education within the walls and halls of Ruston High School and our public school system. However, in addition to the classroom we both learned countless lessons from the locker rooms and playing fields of RHS. Those athletic facilities were classrooms for the coaches that we so dearly loved. They instilled life lessons through athletics: hard work, teamwork, leadership, confidence, social skills, time management, resilience and countless others. I think the same holds true for any extracurricular activity or sport whether it’s Debate, Band, Soccer, Bearcat Motorsports, FFA, Cheer, Student Council, Bearcat Belles, and the list goes on. These activities coupled with classroom education produce a well-rounded young person prepared for life past high school.
For the past for years, my daughter has had the honor and privilege to play softball for Ruston High School. She will be graduating on May 21st and then on to college. During her tenure at Ruston High, the softball program has been housed within the City of Ruston Softball complex on Farmerville Street. However, in order to fully understand the history of this topic, I feel we need to briefly back up in Ruston High School softball history. In the early 90’s, a softball facility was constructed on Bittersweet Avenue next door to Glen View elementary. It was basic, the girls had a field, dugouts, concession stand and bathrooms. They operated out of a locker room at the high school two miles away. This property is owned by the Lincoln Parish School Board and was operated by the school and softball program. This facility was a work in progress that players, coaches, parents and volunteers poured into and built from the ground up with fundraisers and assistance from the School Board. Amanda remembers the work she and her teammates had to put in at the field alongside Coach Butch Powers. The hours that they spent prepping the grounds and maintaining the facilities produced team bonds and gave them a sense of ownership and Bearcat pride that that this was their home. A pride that carried over into game time and had meaning when an opposing team pulled into their parking lot.
From the early 90’s through 2019 many additions and upgrades were added. These included a locker room with coaches offices, upgraded concession stand, batting cages, elevated press box and upgrades to the fields and lighting. It’s a great facility that housed our softball program for 30 years. This facility was their home and they had total access to put in extra work whenever possible. I invite you to drive by and take a look. During these years, the softball program produced some competitive teams culminating with a Ruston High School softball state title in 2007.
In 2019, a decision was made to move the program from their facility on Bittersweet Street Avenue to the new City of Ruston softball complex. This move was made with intentions to better the program and facilities. However, after observing the situation for four years, it’s not the best option for the softball program and school.
This Saturday, April 27th, the voters from District 1 will have the opportunity to help with the issues I describe below. This letter is meant to provide useful information so the District 1 voters can make an informed decision. I feel I can provide that since I have been very involved with RHS softball for the past four years.
While at the city complex these young ladies, coaches and staff have been faced with a very challenging situation. They have been housed within a facility that they temporarily reside in during softball season from December through May. During these dates the field house is “theirs”; however, there have been instances where outside players, umpires and coaches have gained access to the building. This presents a significant security issue since the locker room contains expensive softball equipment, personal belongings, computers, etc. Also, since the complex is a public facility, at times the girls have had to compete for access to the practice field and batting cages. It’s also a logistical challenge for the girls to put in extra work during times when the complex is closed at night or on weekends. The complex is locked and the girls simply do not have access to their own field or locker room.
As every athlete knows, the times in which you make the largest improvements in your game isn’t during the season. These strides are made during the off-season in May – November. Those off-season months are the most crucial to be on the field, in the batting cages and bonding together as a team in the locker room. Unfortunately, these are the months in which the girls have very limited access to the city complex facilities. These circumstances do not lend themselves to the excellent standard these girls expect from themselves and deserve.
I fully support our city and school board officials that we have elected. I believe that the original intent for this move was to offer our girls an upgraded complex and unrestricted access. However, that goal is impossible due to the unforeseen demand on our public city softball complex. On one hand, the city complex needs to be occupied as much as possible for events: local Dixie league practices and games, travel ball practices and games and intramural use. On the other hand, it needs to be available to the Ruston High School softball program. Despite efforts from the city; with this much competition for a facility, it is virtually impossible to offer the RHS softball program year-round unrestricted access. It’s great that the complex is busy and booked. However, it has created a situation that produces frustration within a program trying to produce excellence.
I think it is also necessary to mention that there isn’t a written agreement between the city and school board specifying the softball complex monetary details such as the annual lease cost and length of term. The two entities have been unable to find common ground for several years. The lack of a long-term agreement has produced concern within the softball program and school to truly put down roots at the complex and “move in”, install RHS signage, and make it home.
A program’s facilities are extremely important in recruiting and retaining the best coaches and staff. They spend a tremendous amount of time with our young ladies and have a great influence upon them. Their primary job should be coaching and pouring into these young people. Let’s not burden them with infrastructure challenges that they have no control over.
Funding received from the bond renewal would be a huge step towards moving these young ladies home to the Bittersweet facility. Top notch facilities aid tremendously in well-rounded kids. When we invest in our schools and produce excellent kids it’s a win for everyone in the community. Whether you have children that attend those schools or not. A strong, well-funded public school system educates and creates leaders that give back and elevate Ruston and Lincoln Parish to new heights for generations to come. Let’s continue the tradition of excellence within our schools. Passing this bond renewal is a vital step in that process. District 1, I humbly ask for a vote of “YES” in this Saturdays election.
Signed,
Todd DeMoss
Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial and publishing staff of the Lincoln Parish Journal.
