The Leopards softball and baseball seasons are in full swing, and both teams are enjoying their last season playing on their respective fields. This time next year, the West Campus Athletics Complex, located on Wheeler Avenue south of Arrow Highway, will be completed and the softball and baseball teams will each have a new field to call home.
“I am beyond excited and so anxious to practice and play there, but most of all it makes me feel proud,” said Jacklyn Duran, senior criminology major and third baseman. “To finally have a place that is truly our own instills an even bigger Leopard pride in me – pride in our program, pride in our school and everything that we have to offer.”
The softball team has not had their own field since 1999, and currently uses Wheeler Park for practices and home games. The baseball team has been practicing at Damien High School since spring of 2012.
“Being that it’s a city park and not our personal field, it obviously has its down sides,” Jacklyn said. “It’s off campus and we do have to share the field, so we’re constantly adjusting to bad hops or uneven areas, but I think it’s what makes us better players.”
The new softball field will seat 400 people and will have field lights while the baseball field will seat 500 people but will not have lights. Both fields will have surrounding fences and the facility will have a multipurpose field and parking lot. The West Campus fields will also be up to NCAA standards. Because of these exceptional features, attendance expectations are high.
“I am extremely confident that attendance will improve,” Jacklyn said. “Who doesn’t like a new ball park or athletics facility? I just hope after the opening season, it stays that way. The new facility will bring a whole different dynamic and exciting atmosphere to our game that I’m super excited to experience.”
The West Campus is part of the Master Plan, and has a projected completion date of December 2014 with a $7 million price tag. In order to be approved by the city planning commission, the University promised availability of the facility to the city of La Verne’s recreation programs. The fields will also be available to students participating in intermural sports and the soccer program.
“Planning to build our own facilities has been in the works longer than I’ve been at La Verne, so I would say the more accurate feeling would be relief,” Jacklyn said. “That ‘finally’ feeling is something I know my team, as well as baseball, feel this semester more than ever.”
Photo Source: http://www.leopardathletics.com/sports/departmentnews2012-13/groundbreaking