Michelle Krill Field due for updates
Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park has had the same turf in its infield since 2008, so the Butler Parks, Recreation Grounds and Facilities Authority is putting priority on replacing it.
Dean Selfridge, stadium manager, said turf lasts about 10 to 12 years at best, and a company quoted the replacement turf at $150,000. The stadium is self-funded and does not receive tax revenue from the city, according to Selfridge, so the authority is looking at what options are available to finance the project.
“We had a company come in about two weeks ago ... the company did an aerial survey of the field,” Selfridge said. “We are going to look for sponsors and donations and fundraising to help fund this. We are working with a couple grants.”
In a report presented to the authority at a Monday meeting, Selfridge also said he was considering purchasing a portable pitcher’s mound and a camera system called Yakkertech that helps pitchers perfect their form.
The portable pitchers mound, Selfridge said, would cost $15,000, and would be useful for allowing youth baseball and women’s softball to play on the field.
“We have had interest from high schools and colleges for female softball, but the mound is too high,” Selfridge said. “The mound will pay for itself in a year or two if that's the way we wanted to go, through rentals.”
The Yakkertech system would cost $10,000, Selfridge said.
He said the authority is considering buying the system because players who are developing can learn more about their form through its use.
“The company has software that can pretty much tell pitchers everything they are doing right or wrong, their grip strength, where they are looking, their form,” he said. “They can use it for recruiting purposes. We are trying to be more competitive to try to help the schools and players because it is going to help the players.”
Selfridge said that aside from the turf replacement, which he would like to complete as soon as possible, the projects he told the authority about Monday are in the “very preliminary” stages.
