(Photo caption) Groundbreaking ceremonies were held last Saturday for extensive renovations to the NSU Lady Demon Softball Complex. The project will begin early next month to provide a new grandstand, press box and concession stand. It will be entirely funded by private support and NSU student facility improvement fees with about half of the $466,000 already in hand.  Taking part in the ceremony were (l-r) Lady Demon player Paige Cavallin, Bank of Montgomery president Ken Hale, softball player Kylie Roos, Billy Gray of the Natchitoches Area Jaycees, softball player Brooke Boening, NSU president Dr. Randy Webb, Lady Demon softball player Jordan Palmer, assistant coach Amanda Locke, NSU Athletics senior woman administrator Carrie Crowell, NSU athletic director Greg Burke and Lady Demon softball coach Donald Pickett.


NATCHITOCHES – A couple hundred people who gathered on the infield at the Northwestern State Lady Demon Softball Complex envisioned a brand new look to the facility next spring as they attended Saturday's groundbreaking ceremony for $466,000 in fan-friendly renovations.
 
The project, due to get underway in early November, will include construction of a new partially-covered grandstand featuring chair-backed seating, along with building a new press box and a new concession stand.
 
“The NSU Athletic Department appreciates everyone who attended the softball project groundbreaking ceremony.  The turnout was tremendous and is indicative of the enthusiasm this project is creating not just for the softball program, but for the entire athletic program,” said NSU Director of Athletics Greg Burke, who added that this project is the first of several facility enhancements that are on the drawing board for the department.
 
The project will be funded by a combination of private gifts and student fees designated and approved for improvements to NSU Athletics facilities. No state or university operating dollars will be used, said Burke.
 
Fundraising is halfway to the goal, with additional support being pursued. The renovated facility will be completed during the 2013 season before Northwestern hosts the Southland Conference Tournament next May.
 
“We challenged everyone in attendance to help us complete fundraising efforts for the project by making a personal investment and also by influencing others to provide support, as well,” said Burke. “The economic impact to the Natchitoches area provided by hosting the Southland Conference postseason tournament next May will pay dividends for the community and hopefully will move individuals and businesses to at least purchase naming rights to one of the chair back seats.”
 
Chair back seats require a $1,000 donation which can be set up for payment via bank draft for up to three years, a plan which would result in a weekly charge of under $7.
 
Players from the 2013 Lady Demon squad attended the ceremony, including junior shortstop Tara McKenney, an All-Southland Conference performer.
 
“The team is very excited about all of our complex renovations, and we really appreciate everyone who has and will support the grandstand project. We have been looking to this year as our year of change and these facility improvements are a huge part of that,” she said. “It means so much to us that we are able to host the 2013 Southland Conference Softball Tournament and be able to take pride in our facilities when we step out on that field to go for a conference championship.”
 
The renovations will provide 436 seats, including 160 prime chair back locations behind home plate. The new facility will include a roof partially covering the grandstand area, which will cascade away from the backstop providing much-enhanced permanent seat locations that were not available with the old grandstand that was located nearly 20 feet away from the backstop.

The construction will also provide an enlarged press box for media and game management, able to accommodate radio and television crews with a capacity more than triple the old press box seating.

The initiative represents the most significant project in the five-decade history of the NSU softball program. It is in addition to $350,000 in other improvements to the facility in the past four years, with installation of new Outfield Club seating, a refurbished club house and locker room, a new ticket booth, new fencing and entrance, a new outfield fence, backstop and netting.