The new batting cages at the Hodding Carter Memorial YMCA have been open for just about a week, and young baseball and softball players throughout the community are already taking their swings.
Paul Hughes, the softball coach at St. Joseph Catholic School, brought many of his players into the facility on the second day it opened, and said the experience went so well that he plans to bring his players back many more times in the future.
“We have all been talking about how much we needed this for a while because most of the schools around here don’t have an indoor facility so when it rains we are out of luck,” Coach Hughes said. “This is going to make so many of our baseball and softball players better, and it is a great new thing for the community.”
The new batting cages, which include pitching machines, are available to both members and non-members of the YMCA. Members can rent a cage for $10 for a half hour and $15 for a full hour. Non members can rent a cage for $20 for half an hour and $30 for a full hour. Baseballs as well as helmets are available for use, but people are asked to bring their own helmets if they can.
There are also monthly batting rates as well as private event and party rates. Batting cage rental is available to anyone over 15 years of age. Reservations will be taken up to seven days in advance.
To reserve a reservation, visit the booking link at hodding-carter-memorial-ymca-gigabook.com/book/all or go to the website, ymcahcm.org, or call 662-335-7258.
Mickie Sandidge, the operations director of the YMCA, said the new batting cage facility became real only because of a total community effort. The new F. Leigh Alcott Athletic Center, where the cages are located, will be housed in the YMCA’s J.D. Rushing Multipurpose Facility.
Sandidge said past YMCA CEO Bob Williams, along with past board president Kevin Smith, helped get the batting cage idea started while working on their capital campaign project, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought many of their plans to a halt.
“The board continued to think and think, and we finally decided that this was the building that we needed to use for the batting cages,” Sandidge said. “The best thing is that we are now able to offer programs to kids again. So, we are just ecstatic that we can offer something again. We are always trying to give activities to kids of all ages, and we also have some adults that want to come here and try it out.”
Along with the top-of-the-line pitching machines, the project also included adding green turf on the floors. The batting cages can be moved, as needed, for coaches to work on fielding drills for their players. Sandidge said she also hopes to have volleyball and soccer inside of the facility.
Along with private donors, a handful of businesses also played a crucial role in the project, including Delta Net & Twine, Greenville Metal Works, Greenville Paint & Glass Co., Mike Caulfield, Mill Supplies, Inc. and New Dixie Fastners.
“They are the people that helped us stay within our budget,” Sandidge said. “It took a community to help us put this together.”
