MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The White Station Middle School baseball team broke in their brand-new field with their first home game in at least five years Thursday night.
The field used to be patchy grass with a chain fence and single benches to sit on.
“Over the years, without a lot of upkeep, it kind of had fallen into decline,” White Station parent Kim Catlin said.
Catlin is the reason the school got a new field.
“I was actually watching a sports game on TV, and there was a commercial about the DICK'S Sporting Goods Sports Matters program,” Catlin said.
The Sports Matters Foundation awarded the school $12,000. The money was used for fresh dirt, white lines, bases and new dugouts. On Thursday, March 7, 2024, the school had its first home baseball game in years.
“I’ve been the coach here for four years, and this is the first time we’ve had a home field to play on,” coach Bryan Walker said.
Catlin doesn’t have a child in the baseball program but applied for the grant in hopes of bringing the community together and making sure the kids are happy and healthy.
“There’s research that shows that children who participate in sports perform stronger academically and...their mental health and physical health are stronger as well," Catlin said.