South Gibson High School getting new athletic complex

South Gibson County High School’s spring sports teams are set to have new game facilities ready to go in time for next year’s season, and it’ll be a safer option for the Hornets as the campus expands across Hornet Drive.

Since the high school first opened in 2009, the school’s softball and soccer teams have played at the park near the high school on Middle School Road. Baseball has played at Lions Park in Downtown Medina. The track and tennis teams have never had home facilities on which to compete, playing all their games on the road and getting practice in whenever and wherever they could as close to Medina as possible.

That all will change next spring as construction on the complex began early this year.

“We’ve got 56 acres we’re working with there next to the high school, and we’re able to put plenty of facilities there, plenty of parking and keep everybody fairly distant from each other within reason,” said Gibson County Special Schools District Director Eddie Pruett.

Once complete, the complex will have two baseball fields, a softball field, a soccer field with a six-lane track around it, a pair of practice soccer fields and six tennis courts.

“We decided to put two baseball fields and one softball because middle school softball plays in the fall and both baseball teams play in the spring,” Pruett said. “So if there’s only one baseball field, then scheduling for middle school can get difficult if games are getting rained out and varsity will take precedence over middle school.

“So this way they’re both able to play in that situation and they can both practice at the same time instead of one team having to wait and be out there at all hours of the night.”

There will also be an indoor facility with turf for teams to get work in if they can’t go outside because of the weather.

Soccer, tennis and track will be separate from baseball and softball with their own restroom and concession stand facilities.

“We won’t be able to host TSSAA postseason track events because those require eight-lane tracks, but six lanes gives us enough to host some meets with a few teams and not be out there all night,” Pruett said.

Completion of the complex is scheduled for October, but Pruett said recent rainy weather will possibly push it back to November.

“We originally hoped it would be ready in time for middle school softball season this fall, but everything has been backed up,” Pruett said. “So hopefully everything will be ready well in time for next spring.”

Spring sports season in TSSAA begins in the middle of March.

Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com or at 731-425-9751. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at editorbrandon.