Spotlight on Sports

May 21, 2021

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With the summer season ahead, many of us are reminded of the significance of sports and outdoor activities – not only how it improves our own health, but elevates the community as a whole. Sunny days allow us to recall happy memories of baseball games with the family, enjoying peanuts and singing along to our favorite ball game tunes.

Well, there is exciting news for Lane County residents, especially for those in Springfield – there are several new development projects relating to sports on the horizon to look forward to. Recently, Bushnell University partnered with Springfield Baseball Project and Springfield Public Schools to renovate a baseball field at the Hamlin Sports Complex located at Hamlin Middle School – it will be used as the new home for Bushnell Baseball.

Work on the field broke ground last month and the new turf field along with new concession, restroom, and other facilities should be complete in time for the Beacons 2021 fall ball season. The remaining renovations are scheduled to be completed in January 2022.

The Springfield Baseball Project is an exciting new initiative led by local business leaders Ike Olsson, Olsson Electric and the Huddle Up Foundation; Kelly Richardson, Richardson Sports; local baseball Coach Kenny Niles; and Joe Womack, President of Bushnell University to expand access and participation in the game of baseball in our community.

A quote from Joseph D. Womack, Ed.D., President, Bushnell University: “The Hamlin Baseball Complex is an example of the good things that happen when school districts, universities, and the private sector work together to create opportunities,” said Joseph D. Womack, Ed.D., President, Bushnell University. “This model of shared vision, mission, and values transcends baseball as Hamlin becomes a community gathering place for affordable family entertainment, healthy youth activities, and positive mentorship experiences that will pay dividends in the classroom today and in our community tomorrow.“

Read more details about the upcoming project in the Bottom Line article below:

Bushnell, Springfield Announce Plans for New Baseball Stadium

While on the topic of Baseball, another local team has an exciting update worth celebrating! Eugene Emeralds has been selected by Baseball America as the Short-Season recipients of the Bob Freitas Award, which recognizes the top overall operation at each level of the minor leagues. The annual award is given to one team in each classification of Minor League Baseball and the criteria is based on community involvement, long-term business success and consistent operational excellence. The Emeralds were selected based on their commitment to the community as a whole as we deal with the effects of the coronavirus and the aftermath of the wildfires. We are so happy for our partnership with member organizations who elevate the community through their involvement! Back in 2019 we had the opportunity to bring on The Emeralds for a LunchVox: Business at Bat program where they presented on embracing diversity and inclusion for a community-wide impact. Allen Benavides, General Manager of the Eugene Emeralds and Los Monarcas told the story of the team’s development of their “Copa de la Diversion” branding, and how that connected to the local LatinX and wider community in the Springfield-Eugene area. Read more about LunchVox: Business at Bat in this article: https://springfieldbottomline.com/2019/06/sporting-events-los-monarcas

Read more about the Emerald’s Bob Freitas Award in this article:

Eugene Emeralds Selected for Baseball America’s Top Award

We also can’t forget about the excitement around the proposed Springfield Indoor Track, Sports and Event Center in Glenwood, a catalyst project backed by the Springfield Community Development Corporation (SCDC) and other community partners to embrace and push forward community health, wellness and prosperity. With the region’s rich history as TrackTown USA, this state-of-the-art development project would be an advantageous opportunity to truly put Springfield on the map and transform our community as a host for athletes around the world. Check out the new website www.springfieldhouseoftrack.com for more information and details about how the center would serve as the perfect catalyst to Play, Grow, and Connect in Springfield, Oregon, and for continued updates on the progress of this community project.