Seguin ISD breaks ground on softball, baseball complex
2 Feb 2024
News, Seguin ISD
Nolan Alexander The Seguin Gazette
A line of hard hats on golden shoves in a pile of dirt marked the start of a new era at Seguin High School on Wednesday.
Seguin High School softball and baseball players joined the Seguin ISD Board of Trustees in officially breaking ground on the campus’ new softball and baseball complex on the southeast side of the property.
City officials, alumni and community members joined in celebration and helped turn some dirt.
The complex is a first for Seguin High School since previously the campus only housed a softball field, which was constructed in 2002. Since Matador baseball’s inception, coaches and players put their time and sweat on the city’s Smokey Joe Williams Field at the Seguin Coliseum. Next season, both teams will have a new home on College Street.
In May 2023, the community approved a $7.5 million bond for the combined stadium with turf fields and now construction is set to begin.
A cloudless sky and a cool breeze blew over Seguin’s softball field, a sign that outdoor spring sports were underway.
“I can remember growing up loving baseball when my dad coached little league,” Seguin ISD Interim Superintendent Veronica Vijil said. “It’s perfect baseball and softball weather and a perfect day to break ground here in Seguin.”
Not only will the fields give students at Seguin High School a chance to participate in all their respective sports on campus, they also will give a boost to the city’s economy, Seguin ISD athletic director Craig Dailey said.
“The training opportunities it will give our kids is year-round training in all types of weather,” Dailey said. “Economically, we will be able to host tournaments as much as we want. As soon as we get this built, I’m sure we will have every playoff weekend in baseball and softball season from Thursday to Saturday night.”
The complex also opens up the opportunity for the district to expand its softball and baseball programs to the junior high schools, which has already garnered some attention from students, Dailey said. Additionally, Dailey looks to open up the facility and host skills camps for the city’s Little League players and offer another location for the organization to host games.
Being able to finally have a baseball complex on the high school’s campus is a direct reflection of the hard work of not only the players on the current team, but also all the alumni who built up the program on Smokey Joe Williams Field, Seguin baseball head coach and former alum Mike Gonzales said.
“It’s sort of surreal but it’s a good day for Seguin, good day for Matador baseball, it’s a good day for Matador athletics and the community as a whole,” he said. “We got grandparents and great grandparents that have played at Smokey Joe and having to make the sacrifice of travel and all the above, it’s a good day to finally have something that’s more convenient and top of the line for athletes to train at.”
Seguin softball head coach John Garcia said he and his team are thankful for the community and its continued support.
“It was a total community effort and we are just glad that it’s finally coming to fruition,” Garcia said. “The kids will get the opportunity to practice on it, not really too sure about playing a game on it this year due to lights. You would hope that these seniors could play a game on it and get that experience, but at least they will be able to be on it for some time.”
The students and coaches can look to begin practicing on the field in mid-March and will see the complex’s completion in December, Dailey said.
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