Marble Falls ISD to talk athletic facilities with board

CAPTON: Scearce Softball Field will get a netting system that stretches from one dugout to the other to protect fans. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The first steps in getting athletic facilities built at Marble Falls High School will happen during two regular meetings of the Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees.

Step one is a presentation to the board members where they will be given conceptual drawings of the new baseball park, which will be built on the practice field next to Mustang Stadium during the Sept. 15 meeting, which starts at 6 p.m.

The next step happens Oct. 20, at which time the board will be asked to approve a guaranteed maximum price for constructing the facility.

The hope is to have the baseball park built in time for the 2026 season, though school district officials say it may only be a playing field and other team-related items with safety netting. Fans can bring their lawn chairs to watch the Mustangs compete.

“It’s 95 percent complete for drawings and renderings,” head coach Tyler Porter said. “There’s a lot of pieces.”

Porter has sat in on meetings with a number of Marble Falls ISD officials including Dr. Jeff Gasaway, the school district superintendent, Assistant Superintendent Stan Whittle and athletic director Keri Timmerman. Porter noted the “pieces” include construction permits and companies that specialize in constructing the various parts of a baseball park, including the artificial turf.

“We hope to have it done by baseball season,” he said. “Both Whittle and Dr. Gasaway are crushing it. It’ll be one of the first class facilities in the state.”

The drawings, which officials won’t release until the board members see them first during their meetings, mirror parts of Scearce Baseball Field. They include constructing a dugout that attaches to the clubhouse or locker room, which is what the Mustangs currently have.

“We’re planning for the next 10 to 15 to 20 years,” Porter said. “This will accommodate three teams. This is very proactive. It’s going to be a first class atmosphere. Kids will be excited about playing here. We’ll run tournaments for sure. You hope for things. I’d like to have it by this year.”

Why the rush? Because once the baseball program has a home park that can meet its basic needs — playing games — construction can begin on what may be the considered the athletes’ crown jewel of the athletic department: the indoor multiple purpose facility.

Mustang Stadium is the department’s crown jewel of outdoor events that accommodates large gatherings for football and soccer games, marching band and graduation. Typically multipurpose facilities don’t have seating for fans.

The multipurpose facility will have three parts:

• an indoor practice area for outdoor sports that has artificial turf with lines for football and soccer, drop down netting to create hitting and pitching space for baseball, softball and soccer, and other tidbits that are sport specific so outdoor sports teams can still get their work done.

• a gymnasium to replace the P.E. gym located next to the original varsity or Mustang gym. Currently, P.E. coaches conduct classes there and the cheerleaders and Starlettes dance team use that facility for their practices. The plan is turn that old gym into the new band hall with construction starting at a later date.

• a state-of-the-art weight room that will be able to accommodate the hundreds of high school athletes who wear the purple and gold. The Mustangs and Lady Mustangs are stretching the current weight room to the max with coaches creating jump stations inside the garage of the weight room to ensure the athletes get the full-body weight lifting experiences Timmerman and strength and conditioning coordinator Karl “Beef” Bielfeldt want.

“It’s giving our athletes every opportunity to be successful,” Gasaway said. “When I think about the weight room and the value of a (complete) weight room to our department – it helps our athletes physically to be ready to compete. We’re working every day to make sure our athletes are ready.”

Timmerman, who is in his second year at the helm, has emphasized to his head coaches that he wants athletes in every sport implementing a weight program. Coaches have said Bielfeldt works closely with them to create programs that challenge their athletes physically and mentally. Bielfeldt studies different techniques, programs and a variety of disciplines to develop programs that not only make the athletes physically stronger but challenge them mentally, too.

“We have to be able to compete with other opponents and outbattle them,” Gasaway said. “You get that confidence. It really prepares the kids physically, mentality and emotionally. It gives them a strong foundation. It gives our kids the tools they need to be successful.”

He pointed out he can see the athletes’ bodies are transformed because of the weight room in the 18 months Timmerman has been in charge.

“Our numbers are strong, and we’re seeing our program grow, which is exciting,” the superintendent said. “We have to make sure we have the facilities to meet that.”

Though it’s possible officials could present board members with a glimpse of the multipurpose facility using computer software, it won’t be renderings.

“From what I know, it will be very baseball focused,” Gasaway said.

Officials also are planning out the work that needs to be finished for Scearce Softball Field, Marble Falls High School Principal Patrick Hinson said. He noted there’s work on the field that needs to be done to the foundation and other parts that need to be laid out before artificial turf is installed. That includes a new drainage system that will create a retention pond on that part of campus.

“Because all that water has to go somewhere,” he said. “It just makes sense to have them when they’re there for baseball. That’s why it’ll have the same lettering, the same striping. It’s just gonna look nice. There’s a lot of dirt work that has to be done with a lot of drainage. With softball, that’ll start a week early. I think the goal is to try to get softball in there. And then as soon as they finish with softball, slide over to baseball.” 

Gasaway added there’s excitement when officials meet to talk about the look and amenities of the athletic facilities.

“We’re a 4A program that has three gyms,” Gasaway said. “I know a lot that only have two. It benefits our program.”

“It’s so great the community supported this,” Porter said. “It puts it on us as coaches. I think it’s so cool. Now go win.”