Garden City Community College - Broncbuster Yearbook (Garden City, KS)

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I Preparing the field-Sprinklers ready the field for the planting of the natural grass turf. Early stages-Cranes are brought in to take care of some of the heavy work that goes into building a large scale baseball facility. 4 ,, SportsfBaseball 21

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SPORTS Inf Williams' provide an amazing gift O New fHC1l1t nears completion Dugouts of major league caliber were only the beginn- ing. The baseball team, who normally played their games 'at Clint Lightner field, soon had a new field of their own under construction. The site was just north of the gymnasium and had special meaning for Garry and Janet Williams of Kokomo, Ind. Their son, Lewie, played for GCCC in the early 1980s. The Williams' contributed S220,000 to initiate the project, along with a challenge to the community to finance the re- mainder of the cost for the new field. Williams referred to the link between athletics and academics when he spoke before the Board of Trustees on Sept. 11. Exciting, talented teachers are wanting to come to the university because of the fine facilities, he said. His appearance before the board was to appeal for an ad- ditional S150,000 commitment to the project. His appeal was successful. Preliminary discussion of the project had produced pro- posed cuts which concerned the Williams'. They were com- mitted to excellence, and their initial contribution was made to construct the finest place to play baseball in the area. They felt some of the propos- ed cuts would conflict with this purpose, therefore pro- moting the appeal. Coach Slobko felt that hav- ing their own facility would be beneficial for the team. Because of the central loca- tion of Garden City, top teams will pass through consistently, Step by step-The grandstand area of the baseball facility nears completion. And there was light-One of several light poles waits to be hoisted in to place beside the grandstand. and now we will have the facilities with which to accom- modate them, he said. Having these facilities will undoubtedly give a tremen- dous boost to recruiting top talent to play baseball here at GCCC, Slobko added. The facilities included a grandstand that had a roof as well as a seating capacity of approximately 400 people. The new facility was original- ly planned to have an artificial turf playing field. However, after discussing the plans with the Williams', Coach Slobko explained that due to costs involved with ar- tificial turf, as well as the fact that baseball was designed to be played on natural turf, the plan was revised. It was then changed to have a natural grass turf with cut-outs. Coach Slobko summed it up when he said the new facilities are going to be super, for recruiting, playing spectatingf' Z? Z 20 Baseball!Sports fa 2 is Z 2 ? fb 0- K- E

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SPORTS ZIV Team lacks. experience o-Wm season last for softball The women's softball team went through a true learning experience, according to Coach Kim Price. No wins were recorded and four players had their first ex- perience playing softball. It was Price's first year as softball coach-and her last. It was decided in mid-April by the Board of Trustees to drop the program beginning in 1987-88 school year. I really admire these young women for coming out for softball knowing they were way behind the others in terms of experience in soft- ball. All of these young ladies improved tremendously as the season went on, Price said. Another key ingredient that the team seemed to lack was an experienced pitcher. To be competitive at this level of fastpitch, it takes one or two fast, accurate pitchers who have pitched for years, Price said. None of our players had ever pitched, but I felt like Becky Graff and Lisa Salyer came in and pitched as well as anyone could ask. They did not have the speed of some of the experienced pitchers around, but they continued to gain accuracy as the season progressed, she said. Leading hitters for the Lady Busters were Becky Graff, Cherri Woolbright and Lisa Salyer. Renea O'Neal led the team in steals. Defensively, Becky Graff and Lisa Salyer did a very good job. Both players have strong, accurate arms, as well as quickness, Price said. Salyer and Graff were voted Most Outstanding Player and Most Inspirational Player, respectively. 15' ', fit! E 5 Q 7' f... - l tak , 1 if Clk-af tiny, 3? F? w P .9 :EPS Mi M X6 LADY Lil!-'.' l 1 , Pkwy 22 Softball!Sports Season Record GCCC Opp. 0 Hutchinson 22 0 Hutchinson 20 0 Dodge City 12 2 Dodge City 1 1 0 Barton Co. 14 0 Barton Co. 10 0 Hutchinson 1 1 3 Hutchinson 13 0 Barton Co. 10 5 Barton Co. 15 I 0 NCIC 9 0 KS Wesleyan 9 Womenls Softball Team-Back row: Coach Kim Price, Cherlyn Lane, Katherine Loyd, Kathy Fairchild, Cherri Woolbright, Holly Guinard. Front row: Becky Graff, Kristi Holloway, Lisa Salyer, Renea O'Neal, Robin Fox. Out at first--Infielder Becky Graff puts a runner out at first base as Holly Guinard backs up the play. Wind up-Kristi Holloway winds up for a pitch during a game against Hut- chinson at F ansler Field. A