Po-Hi hopes additional practice area leads to a better season

The players may miss having practices rained out, but they could see rewards from the extra practices.

Ponca City Dugout Club voted to make an indoor facility for the high school baseball team about a month ago.

They got right to work in the old Budweiser warehouse after they agreed there was a need.

Coach Drew Burris said Ponca City was one of the few 6A schools to not have something like this.

“Inside they have put down turf on the entire facility, we have netting all around it, as well as three large cages,one of which is divided in four to five stations setup for the kids so that they can hit off tees in the middle," Burris said. "It’s big enough to where we can push the cages back for in field practice and get some pitching done in there, as well.”

Burris said it cost about $14,000 and was funded by the Dugout Club.

This facility allows the team to practice on days with bad weather.

Burris said it could triple the amount of practice they get.

“Instead of the kids being out on the field being able to get maybe 50 to 60 swings a day, maybe up to 100, now with this facility day-in, day-out these kids can get close to 300 to 400 swings a day, which the more you do something the better you get at it,” Burris said.

Burris said he can’t guarantee this will make the team better, but has the potential to.

It’s currently the baseball teams off season, so they are preparing for the season to begin again in February.