VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) — At Lowndes High School, student athletes, coaches, and community members have plenty of reasons to be excited.
Head softball coach Stewart Thomas and head baseball coach Ryan Page have been coaching with the Vikings for a decade and more, and both have seen how the county continues to invest in their facilities.
"You know its just the investment that our school system is made into athletics, since I've been here, is incredible and the satisfactions that comes along with it," Thomas said.
"You know we are blessed to live in a county and have an administration and school board that we do that are always looking to improve the facilities, and you know it was our turn in the rotation I guess so, so we're blessed to have them," Page said.
Thomas says he is thrilled to have the new improvement to their fields, and his athletes are more than overjoyed, but never wants to leave out others who work behind the scenes, adding without their great faculty, it wouldn't be possible.
"Big shout out to coach McPherson our athletic director, board members and superintendent Mr. Taylor for investing into our student athletes," Thomas said.
Another plus with these upgrades, coach Page says with the new turf added it helps with less maintenance but also allows these fields to last much longer than previous years.
"Now you're going to have some small maintenance things, maybe some wear spots that have to be replaced, or something throughout the years, but overall we're hoping to get 10 to 12 years out of it," Page said.
With less work to be done on the field by the coaches, it gives more opportunity for family time and coach Page loves it.
"There's so many things that you know coaches think about that parents, and players, spectators don't think about, but just practice schedules, time I get to spend with my family now, and not an hour and two a day working on a baseball field," Page said.
And when it comes down to winning, both coaches agree, its better to have the best, in order to be the best.
