Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Softball players took to a new turf field Tuesday at Christiansburg High School. The project is Phase II of a multimillion-dollar plan to upgrade the school’s athletic facilities.
Christiansburg High School has a new turf playing-surface for this softball season
Members of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors joined the school board for opening day ceremonies. Chris Tuck, the outgoing chairman of the BOS, said he was glad to see Christiansburg High School and young women in sports now have a place to call their own.
“Now, they don’t have to climb on a bus and go to their playing field,” he said
In the past, the softball team played all their home games at the Harkrader Sports Complex adjacent to the middle school on the other side of town.
“This facility looks amazing and will be a great place for them to play,” Tuck said.
Superintendent Mark Miear echoed those remarks. “This is just another phase, we wanted to complete at Christiansburg High School.”
This past fall, a new turf football field was unveiled and Miear said a planned Phase III, which includes a new concession stand and locker rooms at the football stadium, is also on a fast track. He hopes that part of the plan can be completed by the start of the next football season.
“We will be presenting a plan at next Tuesday’s school board meeting to move ahead on plans that we want to get working on.”
He expects that plan to include a future Christiansburg primary school, new Belview Elementary, and renovation at CHS.
Miear pointed out the athletic improvements did not require any new money or tax burdens on local residents. “We had the cash on hand thanks to the sale of old school properties like Blacksburg middle and high schools. For any future school construction, we will have to borrow new monies,” he said.
Wednesday’s ball game jumped started a new era in Christiansburg athletics.
The Blue Demons took a moment to remember teammate Ashlyn Poole, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident last summer. Players wore hair ribbons remembering her as their “angel in the outfield”. Her walk-up music was played after a moment of silence.
One player remarked “she is with us today and will be the entire season.”
On the field Tuesday, the Blue Demons downed Craig County 14-1 in five innings. Haley Dove, who was three-for-three at the plate, connected on the first hit at the new park. She also had three RBIs in the contest.
Madi Thompson, who was the team’s starter on the mound, threw a three-hitter with eight strikeouts. She also had an RBI and two hits for the Blue Demons.