The new softball lights were dedicated on Sept. 19 at Anglin Softball Field. The evening, which was held in the parking lot near the softball field, was full of events including dinner, games and a scrimmage.
The event was put on to honor the donors and thank them for their contributions to the school and team. The new lights, which were added back in July, will allow players to practice later and miss less class.
The lights were donated by Denny and Cindy Mayes, longtime supporters of the softball program at Milligan. Denny was on the baseball team at Milligan and graduated in 1976, and Cindy graduated in 1979. Denny spoke before the dedication, and their family was in attendance for the event.
“The lights will help us have better team chemistry because we will be able to practice together more often,” says junior softball player Neelee Grifith. “I think we will also get more student involvement with the later game times.”
“The lights will allow the softball program more flexibility with scheduling practices and hosting games which will have a tremendous impact on the team’s performance both in the classroom and on the field,” said President Bill Greer. “I hope to see higher grades,” he joked, “As well as more wins.”
Along with making scheduling easier for the team, the lights are easy to maintain. They are a Musco Lighting System which is a new style of lights that is more advanced than the ones found on the baseball field. The “lights” at the top of the pole are simply reflectors; the light shines out of the lower box which can be accessed from a normal ladder.
Games and activities for the evening included a cornhole tournament, spikeball and a highly contested nine-square competition.
Food for the evening was provided by the cafeteria, which was closed during the event. Students who regularly eat dinner in the cafeteria were in attendance for the cookout.
Before the installation of new lights, the softball fields were last renovated in 2015 when a new fence was installed as well as a new batting cage.
Headline photo: The softball team plays their first intrasquad scrimmage under the new lights. The game capped off an evening of events to celebrate the renovations.