The Shadow
LOW MOOR, Va. (VR) — The Alleghany Highlands School Board heard a detailed presentation Monday night outlining why the Alleghany High School baseball program is seeking approval to move its varsity home games from Casey Field back to the high school.
Athletic Director Ty Dobbs, Assistant Athletic Director Will Fields, Varsity Head Coach Ryan Kessinger and JV Head Coach Seth Bradley addressed the board during its July meeting, with Fields presenting the proposal and the reasons behind it.
To return the field to game-ready condition, Fields presented a list of needed improvements totaling an estimated $12,500 to $13,000. The list includes new bases required under National Federation of State High School Associations rules, dugout fencing, protective padding, a mound tarp and other upgrades.
Fields said the Alleghany Athletic Club and Coach Kessinger believe funding could be secured for those improvements.
While acknowledging Casey Field is the superior baseball facility and playing surface, Fields said the recommendation to move games back to Alleghany centers on safety and convenience. “We’ve had very few issues playing at Casey Field,” Fields said.
Fields said varsity players currently drive themselves from the high school to Casey Field for practice, with some students riding together, creating potential liability concerns. He also noted athletes lose valuable practice time traveling between the two locations.
Attendance was also discussed during the presentation. Fields said he believes crowds would improve if games were played at Alleghany because students would have easier access, and parents and fans attending softball games could also watch baseball.
Fields also pointed to athletic training coverage as another concern, noting trainers are often assigned to other events taking place at Alleghany, limiting their availability at baseball games. One board member suggested the division consider adding another athletic trainer to better serve both high school and middle school athletics.
Fields also noted visiting teams frequently stop at Alleghany before traveling to Casey Field to drop off other athletes, which can occasionally delay game start times. He concluded by reiterating that while Casey Field remains the better facility, the recommendation is based on allowing players to practice and compete at the same location.
Littleton read language from the agreement stating that athletic facilities at Covington High School would remain the primary location for varsity football and baseball regardless of grade configuration. He expressed concern about how relocating baseball could affect agreements between the county and city. Arritt said discussions during consolidation recognized that circumstances could change over time. He said preserving Casey Field as the home of varsity football and baseball was a priority for the City of Covington because of its history and community identity.
“The City of Covington was very clear in their position,” Arritt said. “Basically, they had to have at least a tentative agreement that Casey Field would be utilized as it historically had been and that Covington High School would remain open as a school.”
The school board took no action Monday night, the discussion will continue at the upcoming leadership meeting. Members will revisit the proposal during their August meeting.
