Campbellsville Baseball/Football Complex

[Mustang]

Take a look at the Baseball/Football complex at Campbellsville High School, the site of this year's All "A" State Tournament.  Your thoughts???

 

Note the odd layout of the Campbellsville High School Baseball/Football complex. I have three emotions seeing this. The first is "What a shame that the All "A" is no longer played at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington", which was a true big time experience for the players and fans. My second is that there is just something wrong with the entire outfield being a lined football field. Both come down to money. The All "A" no longer has a major sponsor such as Ashland Oil in the old days, and more recently Touchstone Energy. They are operating the progam on reserve funds and ticket sales. The second being the total practicality of the situation at Campbellsville High School. Unfortunately, it is a shame that in this day and age something like this would be even considered, but money talks, and this is obviously better than having no baseball field at all. You can all probably predict my third emotion - Thank God our powers that be (at Brossart) didn't see or take into consideration putting this abomination at the MAC. While we all anxiously await the completion of the MAC with our Baseball/Softball complex, the final result of a true baseball /softball complex will be worth the wait.

[ChickenWyngz]

I saw a tweet with this place in it earlier (PBR or something). I’d have never dreamed this was the All A.

I wouldn’t pass judgement on it before seeing it in person. My initial thoughts are if it puts kids on a safe and quality playing surface day in and day out within a school budget and space constraints, I'm all for it. 

With that said, you can’t play this event or one of its level there, IMO. It’s a shame an in state university of even the Florence Y’all’s can’t attach themselves to it.

 

 

[rjs4470]

I don’t have an issue with the facility. The baseball field sharing space with the football field is not an uncommon situation, especially with the advent of turf. I know Lexcath has a similar situation. I certainly wouldn’t call it an abomination…..there are many worse baseball fields throughout the state that don’t share space with a football field. Visually, yes it is unusual. But there’s nothing “bad” about the playing field itself. 

[gchs_uk9]

3 hours ago, Mustang said:

You can all probably predict my third emotion - Thank God our powers that be (at Brossart) didn't see or take into consideration putting this abomination at the MAC. While we all anxiously await the completion of the MAC with our Baseball/Softball complex, the final result of a true baseball /softball complex will be worth the wait.

Abomination seems like an extremely strong word choice here. Campbellsville has had this combined football/baseball stadium for decades. As you know, many city schools are landlocked and financially limited - building new facilities isn't always feasible. What they have done is put down turf to benefit both programs. Is it unique? Absolutely. But as someone who was at the event yesterday, the stadium worked just fine. The school had plenty of staff working the game and driving fans in golf carts from the parking lot to the field. There were lots of concessions. They had an indoor hitting facility for pregame use by teams.

I'd love for the All "A" to be at the Legends or the Y'alls, but just like those who fuss about Louisville not hosting KHSAA events, you have to bid to host. If no one bids for the games, then it has to be played somewhere. You might not love the setup at Campbellsville; I, for one, like it a whole lot better there than not being played at all.

[gchs_uk9]

1 hour ago, rjs4470 said:

I don’t have an issue with the facility. The baseball field sharing space with the football field is not an uncommon situation, especially with the advent of turf. I know Lexcath has a similar situation. I certainly wouldn’t call it an abomination…..there are many worse baseball fields throughout the state that don’t share space with a football field. Visually, yes it is unusual. But there’s nothing “bad” about the playing field itself. 

Amen. Just off the top of my head, Eminence, Williamsburg, Russell County, and Casey County all share a football/baseball (or softball) field.

[gchs_uk9]

2 hours ago, ChickenWyngz said:

With that said, you can’t play this event or one of its level there, IMO. It’s a shame an in state university of even the Florence Y’all’s can’t attach themselves to it.

I suspect it is hard for any of the universities to assure that weekend off. College baseball schedules aren't made near as early as football and basketball. As for the Lexington Legends or Florence Y'alls, it would be great for a place that nice to host, but the economic feasibility might not be right for the professional organization or the All "A" organization.

[ChickenWyngz]

20 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

I suspect it is hard for any of the universities to assure that weekend off. College baseball schedules aren't made near as early as football and basketball. As for the Lexington Legends or Florence Y'alls, it would be great for a place that nice to host, but the economic feasibility might not be right for the professional organization or the All "A" organization.

Right, agree with all of this. It would take the Y’all’s offering to host solely for the experience for the kids. 

[rjs4470]

29 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

I suspect it is hard for any of the universities to assure that weekend off. College baseball schedules aren't made near as early as football and basketball. As for the Lexington Legends or Florence Y'alls, it would be great for a place that nice to host, but the economic feasibility might not be right for the professional organization or the All "A" organization.

The Y’Alls stadium is also the home to Thomas More’s baseball team, so it too has the scheduling issue to deal with. Prior to the Saints moving in they used to host many high school games…not so much any more. 

[Calico Jack]

To go along with @gchs_uk9, I personally love the set up at Campbellsville High School.  Pikeville High School has the same set up as well and I'm pretty sure a good chunk of center field all the way to right field at Lexington Catholic is part football field.

Here is a "What If" in terms of atmosphere, but what if enough fans came to where the football bleachers were full? Talk about something different and unique in (another) better way!

Campbellsville and Taylor County both have remarkable athletic facilities for all. Both have turf football/soccer, Campbellsville has an all turf softballl field, Taylor County has the infields of both their baseball and softball fields turfed. Both school systems also have brand new, resurfaced tracks. Taylor County has a new gym at their new high school about 3 miles north over the shortstop area of the pic and it hosts region basketball tourney's. Campbellsville HS's gym is just to the left of the press box in the picture above. While not big enough to host region tournaments, it's a very unique, one level, bowl shaped venue that I hope never changes. None of which come to mind like that in Northern Kentucky I don't believe? Kind of like Beechwood and others who only have one side of bleachers in their gym. I love that.

For those wondering where the softball field is for Campbellsville Independent? It's about two miles to the right of 1st base in that picture at Campbellsville Middle School, which, oddly enough is practically right across the road from, wait for it, Taylor County Middle School (old Taylor County High School), which is where Taylor County's football and baseball complex's are located.

I love the 'all in one' set ups like this, even better that there is no track around them when it comes to football. All makes for much more intimate settings IMO.

[Bulls on Parade]

Abomination? @Mustang Appreciate the opinion, but we didn't ask. The Tournament was run in a First Class Manner with many athletic programs pitching in to help the event go smoothly. We are very proud of our facilities and honestly, you are the first person I've heard comment/complain on the lines in the outfield. Anyway, we hope you had a Great Time...

[5thregionbasketball]

14 hours ago, gchs_uk9 said:

Abomination seems like an extremely strong word choice here. Campbellsville has had this combined football/baseball stadium for decades. As you know, many city schools are landlocked and financially limited - building new facilities isn't always feasible. What they have done is put down turf to benefit both programs. Is it unique? Absolutely. But as someone who was at the event yesterday, the stadium worked just fine. The school had plenty of staff working the game and driving fans in golf carts from the parking lot to the field. There were lots of concessions. They had an indoor hitting facility for pregame use by teams.

I'd love for the All "A" to be at the Legends or the Y'alls, but just like those who fuss about Louisville not hosting KHSAA events, you have to bid to host. If no one bids for the games, then it has to be played somewhere. You might not love the setup at Campbellsville; I, for one, like it a whole lot better there than not being played at all.

Agreed!!! The facility is great for Campbellsville. And my understanding was that they were hosting because of a scheduling conflict with EKU but the tournament plans to return to EKU next year. I might be wrong about that, but I was there Saturday and thought they did a great job hosting. I believe the All A basketball tournament next year will not be at EKU do to a conflict and instead will be at the Corbin Arena. 

[rjs4470]

29 minutes ago, 5thregionbasketball said:

Agreed!!! The facility is great for Campbellsville. And my understanding was that they were hosting because of a scheduling conflict with EKU but the tournament plans to return to EKU next year. I might be wrong about that, but I was there Saturday and thought they did a great job hosting. I believe the All A basketball tournament next year will not be at EKU do to a conflict and instead will be at the Corbin Arena. 

The facility would really be great for a good number of schools in Kentucky, and is probably in the upper range of fields that you'd play at. While I'm not a fan of baseball on turf, I'd rather play on a turf field than a bad grass and dirt field, of which there are many. There are literally dozens of schools that would give anything to have Campbellsville's set up, football lines and all. 

[Mustang]

1 hour ago, Bulls on Parade said:

Abomination? @Mustang Appreciate the opinion, but we didn't ask. The Tournament was run in a First Class Manner with many athletic programs pitching in to help the event go smoothly. We are very proud of our facilities and honestly, you are the first person I've heard comment/complain on the lines in the outfield. Anyway, we hope you had a Great Time...

OK, Maybe "Abomination" is a strong word.  But to me Baseball is baseball, and football is football.  I also understand economics and as myself and others have said, It is better than having no baseball field at all.  The phrase that comes to mind here is that "A Camel is a Thoroughbred designed by Committee."  Practical Yes, but radical in some aspects, yes.  In a board room, I'm sure it sounds like a great idea.  Obviously others are climbing on this bandwagon, BECAUSES IT SAVES MONEY.

I guess its the old school in me coming out, that we don't play baseball on football fields - just another sign of the times.

Congrats on doing your best to host a first-class "A" State Tournament, but again all change seems to be for the worse, and nothing can compare with playing the "A" at Applebee's/Whitaker Bank Ball park.  It's kind of like serving the good wine first, instead of progressing in the other direction.

[gchs_uk9]

21 minutes ago, Mustang said:

I guess its the old school in me coming out, that we don't play baseball on football fields - just another sign of the times.

Granted this is high school, but I'd argue old school football and baseball were played on the same fields more often than now. Think back to the cookie-cutters like Riverfront, Veterans Stadium, and Three Rivers. Think back to NFL games played at Wrigley and Yankee Stadium (where the 1958 NFL championship was played between the Colts and Giants). Campbellsville is an old facility that uses both. With the influx of new stadiums (like Brossart's for example), the addition of turf at so many facilities, the sign of the times seems to be moving away from what used to be quite common.

[gchs_uk9]

24 minutes ago, Mustang said:

Congrats on doing your best to host a first-class "A" State Tournament, but again all change seems to be for the worse, and nothing can compare with playing the "A" at Applebee's/Whitaker Bank Ball park.  It's kind of like serving the good wine first, instead of progressing in the other direction.

A previous poster said the All "A" baseball is going back to EKU next year. It ran into a scheduling conflict this season. It still seems like you're going out of your way to be critical toward a small, rural school district who has worked hard to upgrade their facilities and also put on a good event that wouldn't typically be expected of them.