New Russellville stadium ready for official debut

By Staff
Scot Beard
Walking through the new baseball stadium at Russellville High School is unlike anything most high school baseball players in the state of Alabama will ever experience.
The exterior looks like a major college or minor league ballpark with the all-brick backstop and seats raised well above the field of play.
But it is the interior that really gets people talking.
Hidden beneath the stands are two indoor batting cages, a spacious locker room with the team logo printed on the floor, ample storage space and a coach's office with a beautiful view of the infield.
"It's come a long way," said former Russellville baseball coach and current softball coach Ted Ikerd. "When I first got here, I thought it had a grass infield. I was mistaken."
Ikerd said the infield was mostly dirt with some weeds and grass poking through. He laid the sod for the infield in the summer of 1988.
Now, the infield is immaculately manicured to match the impressive brick structure that surrounds it.
"It's a nice place," said current Russellville baseball coach David Ward. "I had a guy from Indiana in here doing fundraising and he said it was the best facility he has seen in the nation."
Russellville City Schools Superintendent Don Cox said the facility was built to last and to offer the best opportunities for the students at Russellville.
"We want to give the kids an opportunity to participate in a first-rate program," Cox said. " I feel it will benefit the students for years to come."
Cox said one of the reasons for the elaborate design is to keep the program competitive. With the baseball season already started, the indoor facilities give the team an opportunity to get their arms in shape and get back in the groove of hitting without exposing them to near-freezing temperatures.
"Russellville City Schools have a tradition when it comes to building facilities to build facilities that will last," Cox said. "This is a great facility."
The Russellville Baseball Stadium will have an open house from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday.
The Golden Tigers will host Central-Florence Monday at 4 p.m. and will hold a dedication ceremony prior to the start of the game.