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.
Fields said the baseball field at Alleghany High was last in playable condition in 2023, when it hosted a state-level game. Since school consolidation, the field has primarily been used as a backup practice facility.
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.
He added that the field’s lighting is adequate but could benefit from upgrades, while the irrigation system also needs work. One option would require boring beneath the track to connect the irrigation system to the soccer field water supply. Fields said irrigation and re-sodding of the playing surface could be completed at a later date. At this time, no funding source has been identified for those larger projects.
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.
He explained that while every baseball field has different dimensions and sight lines, the larger issue is that the team practices at Alleghany but plays its home games in Covington.
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.
“If everything was at Alleghany, they could walk out the back door and be at practice,” Fields said.
He added that players must carry their equipment with them because weather can force last-minute practice location changes. Equipment also has to be divided between the high school’s new field house and Alleghany.
Fields suggested Casey Field would make more sense as the primary home for the middle school baseball program, eliminating the need to bus those teams to Fort Young.
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.
Board member Jonathan Arritt questioned that point, saying baseball has traditionally drawn smaller crowds and recalling that attendance was never particularly large when he played at Casey Field.
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, 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.
School Board Chairman Jon Lanford said some of the most memorable moments for athletes happen during time spent together in the locker room, adding that having practices and games at the same location would provide additional opportunities for team building.
Board member John Littleton said he viewed the issue as more complex because of the consolidation agreement between Alleghany County and the City of Covington.
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.
Littleton said the topic should be discussed during the upcoming leadership meeting involving both localities before any decision is made.
He also referenced former board member Gerald Franson’s emphasis on making decisions that are sustainable and said he wanted to ensure any action taken would not negatively impact future budgets or programs.
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.”
Arritt added he believes the economic impact between the two locations is minimal.
The school board took no action Monday night. Members will revisit the proposal during their August meeting.
