Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facility Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Jordan High parents and players press board for field repairs, warning track and lighting to prevent injuries
Summary
Players and parents described uneven turf, flooded warning track, missing bases and damaged bullpens at Jordan High School's baseball facility and urged the district to prioritize safety upgrades; district staff described a two-year improvement plan beginning with drainage and warning-track work.
Players, coaches and parents from Jordan High School used the board meeting Oct. 21 to outline safety problems at the school's baseball facility and to request a phased improvement plan.
Why it matters: Multiple student speakers described ankle rolls, uneven ground and muddy warning-track conditions that they said pose an injury risk during practice and games. Several parents and district staff said improvements are planned but asked the board for a clear timeline.
Student speakers and parents described consistent problems: - Pitchers and infielders said the infield has divots, uneven dirt patches and a lip at first and second base that increases the risk of ankle and lower-leg injuries. - Outfielders and parents said the warning track is narrow (about half its intended width), floods after rain and is overgrown, which undermines its safety function. - Multiple students asked for a turf pitching mound and improved bullpens to provide a consistent, safer surface. - Parent and community speakers urged installation of field lights so teams can practice later and so the field can better serve as a community athletic resource.
District business administrator Leon Wilcox told trustees the district is pursuing a two-phased plan: this winter and spring staff will widen the warning track and address drainage and sprinkler issues; in a subsequent year the district will pursue a larger infield/turf overhaul. Wilcox said scheduling work before early-March practices is challenging but described a timeline that would prioritize small-scope safety remediation first and a larger overhaul later.
Board members signaled support for additional field improvements and asked staff to coordinate with the school and coaches on a schedule. Coach and student requests for lighting and further investment will be considered in capital planning and scheduling conversations the district conducts each budget year.
Ending: District staff asked athletic leaders and parents to provide a prioritized list of safety items so the district can refine costs and scheduling. No formal capital appropriation or vote was taken Oct. 21.
