Helton hopes for third field at Morrison Ruritan Park
Steven Helton is a long-time coach at Morrison and hopes to build a third field at the park.
Nine o’clock at night is a good time for most elementary school kids to be winding down. Steven Helton has spent enough nights at the Morrison ballpark to know it isn't an ideal time for them to be taking the field.
Yet that was the reality this summer as a growing youth program tried to squeeze games onto Morrison’s two existing fields.
“My daughter, she’s a fourth grader. She had 9 p.m. ball games,” said Helton. “Dude, these kids are falling apart on us. Some of them, 8 p.m. is their bedtime and they’re trying to start playing ball at 9.”
Helton believes there’s a solution - Build another field.
Helton revealed during Tuesday’s Simmons Says show that he is hoping to spearhead an effort to add a third ball field at Morrison, one designed primarily for training league and T-ball players. The proposed field would be constructed in an available corner near the two existing fields and would turn the area into a three-field youth baseball and softball park.
Helton isn’t looking for the Morrison Ruritan Club to simply write a check for the project either. His vision is for the community to build it.
“I think I can get the volunteers to do it,” said Helton. “We’re looking for people that are interested in doing the dirt work, doing the grade, laying stuff out, people that are good with that type of stuff and see if we can’t get that done before next season.”
Helton is involved in the Morrison youth program as a coach and said the need for another field became obvious during the most recent season. The number of children participating meant games stretched late into the evening, including those 9 p.m. starts for some of the youngest players.
Helton approached league director Wes Williams about the possibility of adding another field and received the go-ahead to begin pursuing the idea.
The benefits could go beyond simply getting younger players home earlier.
“What Wes has promised me, and I’m going to hold him to this, he said, ‘You build another field and I can promise you we won’t have no more 9 p.m. games,’” said Helton with a laugh.
Williams can confirm that the field would help with scheduling though.
“Annually, we have 80-90 kids ages 2-3 that participate in the league. This would give us the ability to establish an area designed for them to develop and also offer longer game times,” said Williams. “It will also give the league flexibility on game times and increase capacity for the league as a whole.”
Another field would also create openings in the schedule for games postponed by weather, something that became particularly important during a rainy season that forced organizers to juggle the schedule. The benefits are already adding up, but the work is too, mainly the challenge of turning an open piece of ground into a ball field.
Helton hopes people and businesses throughout the community will step forward with the equipment, expertise, labor and materials necessary to make it happen without putting a financial burden on the Ruritan Club.
“I want to do it with all volunteers. I want all of the materials donated,” said Helton. “I want all of the stuff so it doesn’t cost the Ruritan anything because they’re, again, this civic organization that doesn’t have money just to throw at stuff.”
Williams added, “This is a project we have a goal of funding by the community - By the community, for the community. The Ruritan is a non-profit organization that offers a ball season, scholarships, citizen of the year recognition, a Fourth of July celebration and support throughout the year to citizens.”
The target is to have the field completed in time for next season.
After eight years representing District 9, which includes Morrison and Viola, on the Warren County Commission, Helton is leaving public office but made it clear he isn't planning to stop looking for ways to improve his community. Youth sports are one of those ways.
Helton sees more than softball games when he looks around the Morrison park. He also sees kids spending hours with teammates, friends, coaches and parents instead of looking for something else to do, including his own kids.
“We end up being out there all night watching games that we’re not even a part of,” said Helton, referring to moments when his son plays the early games but wants to stick around and watch more. “But guess where the kid is? At the ballpark. There’s parents at the ballpark. There’s people watching them at the ballpark, so they’re not getting in trouble.”
That is ultimately why Helton wants to see another field built.
More space means more opportunities for children to play. It also means fewer late nights for the youngest players, more flexibility when rain disrupts the schedule and another reason for families to gather at the Morrison ballpark.
For now, though, the third field remains on what Helton calls the “vision board.” He’s hoping Warren County can help take it off the board and put it on the ground. Anyone interested in volunteering labor, equipment, materials or other assistance with the proposed field can contact Helton at 931-607-2028.
Morrison fields have long been known for their back-to-back layout. Steven Helton is hoping the park can expand to accommodate a third field by next summer.
