New softball field still unfinished

On June 9, 2017, the construction of the new softball field was initiated with the purpose of finally giving a permanent home on school grounds for the softball team to practice and play games. Although the finish date could change, the school hopes to see the facility completed towards the end of December.When the Innovation Building project was decided to be carried out in 2011, the softball team lost their field due to construction. By the time the field construction is finished, it will have been close to six years of training at different public parks all around the city of Santa Monica.Dean of Students, Catherine Baxter, explained that the cost of the project , the softball field and new lights for the football field, will total $2.4 million, provided by funds from Measure ES.  In November 2012, Santa Monica and Malibu voters approved this bond measure to improve and modernize SMMUSD school campuses. “The new field will serve as a stable place for the softball team to finally be able to practice without any type of interruptions,” Baxter said. “The construction company Virom Davis is the only one involved in the current six-month procedure taking place between the baseball field and the Pico gate.”Softball coach Kalie Nakao (’11) expressed pure excitement after hearing the final date news.  “Since 2011, we have been practicing at Memorial park as we lacked a stable space inside the school which is close, but obviously not on campus,” Nakao said. “However, now with the new field, the girls are extremely excited to have more support from the rest of the school with a field at school.”