SMYRNA, Tenn. -
Parents at a Rutherford County middle school are working to raise $10,000 in an effort to convert a practice field into a home baseball field.
Rock Springs Middle School is one of three in the county that are without a baseball field.
Currently the school system does not provide funding for athletic fields which falls on the shoulders of coaches and parents.
"We fund raise [and] we take money out of our pockets to help with team activities," said mother Malisa Slaughter whose eighth grade son has played for the team for two years.
Earlier this year, parents helped build a practice field by spreading 25 tons of soil to create a useable practice surface.
Coach Dustin Stem told Nashville's News 2 he and team parents are now trying to raise money to transform the practice field into a home game field before the upcoming season.
"The first thing we would have to do is put dugouts on third base and the first base side," Coach Stem. "I see a lot of potential. I see a lot of untapped resources that we can come in and bring in to make this an excellent facility"
Stem said he estimates it will cost around $10,000 to build the field.
In an effort to raise the funds for the field, Coach Stem and team parents are hosting a fundraiser dinner on August 18.
Tickets to the event cost $20 and will include an opportunity to participate in a silent auction.
Coach Stem told Nashville's News 2 the team is also getting help from the Modern Woodmen of America, which is one of the country's largest fraternal financial service organizations.
The organization has agreed to match up to $5,000 of the field expense.
"The more we can raise, obviously the better it is going to be, so we want to at least shoot for a minimum of $5,000. We can raise that and hopefully much more," Modern Woodmen of America Regional Director Josh Conner said.
Stem said he hopes to have his players playing on the new home field by next spring.
During the past seasons, Rock Springs Middle School held home games at LaVergne High School for a rental fee of $50.
Anyone who would like to make a donation or buy tickets to the fundraising dinner, can call Malisa Slaughter at 615-788-1223.
