From a patch of grass and dirt to a field of dreams
For Jon Pallone, head baseball coach at Quakertown Community High School in Quakertown, Penn., the umpire shouting “Play ball!” to begin the team’s March 2024 home opener took on special meaning.
He would no longer have to worry about where his team would practice or whether the field conditions were safe enough for play. The first pitch of the game introduced the school’s new, state-of-the-art, multipurpose field, home of the Quakertown Panthers’ baseball team.
“There aren’t many high schools in our region with a field like this. The team loves the playing surface, and they can even select their own walk-up music to play when they come to bat,” Pallone says. “For them, it’s like a field of dreams, and I don’t have to worry every day where we can practice or if we have to postpone a game because the field is unplayable.”
Pallone and his team are not the only ones enjoying the benefits of the $5.7-million, multipurpose field; it’s called a multipurpose field for a reason. It is also home to the high school’s varsity field hockey and soccer teams. In addition, the community benefits from the ultramodern facility, with organizations such as the Pennsylvania Rush Soccer Club, which has rented the field for matches and tournaments.
In addition to the artificial-turf baseball and soccer/field hockey fields, the 31-acre facility includes a 13-by-26-foot digital scoreboard, a concession stand, restrooms, a grandstand and press box for the baseball field, a lighting system for night games, and a modern sound system.
“This field is more than just a patch of grass or turf; it is a symbol of our commitment to providing our students with the resources and facilities they need to thrive both academically and athletically,” says Superintendent Matthew Friedman. “It represents countless hours of planning, dedication, and collaboration among our community, administrators, school board, and stakeholders. Besides sports, this state-of-the-art field will serve as a gathering place for our community, fostering a sense of belonging and comradery for all who use it.”
Major Upgrades
Although construction took only 12 months (from the groundbreaking to the first game), the lack of a multipurpose field had been a deficit for years. The site is the former Quakertown Community High School baseball field, but that field looked very different.
“It was just a grass, dirt, and water field in equal amounts,” Pallone says. “The school’s facilities crew did the best it could do to get the field ready to play, but in the early part of the season, in March and April, more often than not, we couldn’t practice or play on the field and had to make other arrangements.”
Robert Christine, director of facilities for the district, says the site needed significant changes before it could be developed into the multipurpose field it is today.
“We moved the field off the 100-year floodplain, and we had to make sure it was high enough, so we raised it three feet to alleviate the flooding issue,” he says. “In addition, we installed underground drainage, which is piped out to a rain garden well beyond the outfield wall.”
“This gives our baseball team the luxury of having a quick thunderstorm hitting in the middle of the afternoon and still staying on schedule for a game later that day,” says Athletic Director Brian Laiacona.
In addition to the draining issue, planners needed to select a turf that could stand up to the elements and the day-to-day pounding that four varsity sports and community athletic groups would give the surface. The outfield turf, also part of the field hockey and soccer fields, is a blended-fiber turf that is very durable and made to withstand a range of sports uses. The infield turf is designed specifically for baseball.
Christine says having an artificial-turf field saves time and money on maintenance. His facilities crew doesn’t have to mow or water the fields, regularly repair damaged grass, or worry about drainage issues.
“Typically, artificial turf will last 10 to 15 years, depending on usage,” he says. “We focused on selecting a product that would give us durability—especially in the outfield area, which will be used by several teams—and ensure optimal safety and performance.”
“The complex offers the flexibility to give teams practice space any time of the year,” Laiacona says. “Even though the fields are for baseball, field hockey, and soccer. Even the cheerleading squad has used the field. We can get two groups in there at the same time.”
Standout Features
One of the most popular features of the complex is the digital scoreboard located just beyond the left-field fence. Donated by a local healthcare network, the scoreboard offers video capability and can display players’ photos and statistics. It is partnered with a sound system that can play walk-up music when a player comes to bat.
“I would say my favorite part of the project is the scoreboard,” says Joe Kuzo, director of technology for the school district. “It can play short video clips and walk-up music. I think the students really enjoy that.”
As with any large-scale project, there were challenges. The sound system was originally mounted on the scoreboard in left field, and the volume needed to be loud enough to reach the bleachers behind home plate, which generated some noise complaints from neighbors.
“We addressed this by installing speakers on the top of the press box, right behind the bleachers, so we could have lower volume and hit our target area,” Kuzo says.
In addition, the baseball field design included a 60-foot foul ball net behind home plate, which is about 100 feet from a main road. However, leaders quickly learned the net was not high enough to handle many of the four types of balls hit. To address the issue and provide greater safety, the district purchased and installed an 80-foot net, which has been much more effective.
“For far too long we have yearned for a place to call our own during those crucial months of March and early April,” Pallone says. “This field represents more than just a place for baseball, soccer, and field hockey, to play; it symbolizes the heart of our community, where dreams are nurtured, victories are celebrated, and lifelong bonds are formed.”
“This is an amazing experience to be a part of and compared to what we had in the past; this state-of-the-art field is incredible,” says Andrew Klitsch, a member of the varsity baseball team, who played his final season on the field. “Most sports teams in the area don’t have anything like this, and I am proud to be a part of this historic day.”
