Burnet improves existing athletics facilities for more space, to conserve valuable resources

While much of the talk regarding athletics facilities revolves around the construction of the new activity center projected to open in February 2023, Burnet Consolidated Independent School District officials aren’t ignoring existing facilities.

They include replacing scoreboards and natural grass and adding track lanes. It’s difficult to miss where these upgrades are happening when fans are at Bulldog Field.

At Bulldog Diamonds, the baseball and softball fields are receiving artificial turf and new scoreboards. Originally both facilities had natural grass when they opened in 2008. The scoreboards that are being replaced also have been there since those fields began serving as the home to those sports. Athletics director Kurt Jones noted moving to artificial turf minimizes the need for watering both fields.

“We’re hoping to have those completed by late fall, well before the start of baseball and softball seasons,” Jones said. “Everyone talks about field maintenance. It cuts that and the so many hours our maintenance people and coaches are working those fields. Those fields required mowing and trimming. it takes tons of money and resources, and you’re eliminating most of that. And you’re running into each year, how many games and practices we’re losing because the field is too wet? Eight to 12 games when it rains cause the fields hold onto the water and it’s not playable.”

The athletics director pointed to a study conducted to examine the amount of water needed for the natural grass at Bulldog Field. It revealed it was 1 million gallons. And he believes the baseball and softball fields required about the same.

“You’re trying to do your duty and act responsibly with your water resources,” he said.

By adding the artificial turf, it may open the door for other schools to enjoy Bulldog Diamonds, too, Jones said, because they may choose to play postseason games there.

The practice field directly behind Burnet Middle School also is receiving a new scoreboard, artificial turf plus a six-lane track.

Jones noted that it’s not uncommon to have average 450 athletes at Bulldog Field in late March who are practicing either by running on the track or playing soccer. That’s because when the current high school was being built in the early 2000s, coaches agreed middle school and high school athletes would share facilities during practices, he said. Improving the practice field behind the middle school gives those athletes their own space.

“That’s a bunch of ants in that whole area,” the athletics director said. “Part of our middle school plan was to build them their own field. Let’s go rework this area and create a field of their own.”

Improvements also are being made to the long jump, triple jump, high jump and pole vault pits and the discus and shot put pits.

The Doghouse varsity and auxiliary gymnasiums are getting new scoreboards.

The press box on the home side of Bulldog Field also is being replaced and is projected to be ready for the 2022 season. Modeled after the one at Taylor Stadium, the press box will have rooms for both teams’ coaching staffs and radio and film crews in addition to a room for the public address announcer and press box staff.

“We’re totally doing away with the current press box,” Jones said. “The new one will be prefabricated and built somewhere else.”

Workers will then install it once it gets on campus.

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