Lobbying the board of visitors for more resources?

[NewPatriot]

I currently have 3 ex-Mason Baseball players on my men's softball team this Spring... an old 3B, an OF, and a relief Pitcher. I've brought this up many of times with them, especially at the bar during the offseason when we go out for beers. All three are in their late 20's and played at Mason before Covid hit so you can get a sense of their era at Mason.

1. According to 2 of them.... not having lights was a small factor, for the other it was a medium factor but he thought he could get a lot of PT here so he got over it. More deciding factors for these guys....1 chose Mason cause one's father played here (wanted to continue legacy), 1 chose Mason cause he wanted to be close to home (from Fairfax) and the last was a Pitcher at Towson and he transferred to Mason for more playing time/better competition after 2 years.

2. All 3 of told me that at some point during their tenures....they have heard of guys not committing to Mason due to one factor being them wanting to play on a better field / one with lights. For example, One was a high school All-American from VA Beach area and he saw our facilities and field and said no thanks..... one of the guy's hosted him on his campus visit.

So yes.... prior to NIL it seems to have been a factor with some recruits seeing our facilities and not electing to come here.


My guys still laugh, jokingly, about how our field still doesn't have lights.

This is insane. Every High school, every Recreational facility has fields with lights..even the of the little league parks have lights.

Absolutely Pathetic

 

[TweederGMU]

It's my understanding that there are no lights because the school promised the HOA across the street from the baseball field that it would not install any. So, there appears to be three options: renege on the promise, build a new baseball field somewhere else (e.g., where the proposed baseball/cricket stadium was planned), or continue playing there without lights.

According to Marvin's presentation to the BOV they are soon to build a new baseball stadium and field entirely. Can't remember the exact location though... would assume it's over near Braddock road / intramural fields since mason owns all that land over there.

 

[TweederGMU]

Oh when I said baseball doesn't really bring in anything I meant financially. If I were a recruit I would absolutely have the same mentality as the guys you've described. I'm just wondering if in an age of chicken/egg with Mason athletics success if we shouldn't be plowing our resources into bball as even if baseball gets good, it won't really be the golden ticket that basketball would be if it found continued success.

All good.

I wouldn't give up on Baseball.... we sit in a hotbed of baseball talent... NOVA and MD areas have a lot of baseball talent. A lot of great AAU talent and little leagues to feed into Mason, however, in the past 20 years I don't think Bill Brown or Tom O'Connor properly nurtured those types of relationships for recruiting purposes. I think Bill Brown just did his summer camp every year and that's it. They had no real plan on engaging with all the AAU and county/town leagues in Fairfax, PW, Loudoun, etc. to turn mason into a baseball factory when kids get to high school. We could have been a juggernaut for many years if handled correctly in the past.

But still no reason we shouldn't be consistently good every year in baseball with the right recruiting and FACILITIES to match! Meaning a freaking baseball field with gaddamn lights lol

 

[NewPatriot]

All good.

I wouldn't give up on Baseball.... we sit in a hotbed of baseball talent... NOVA and MD areas have a lot of baseball talent. A lot of great AAU talent and little leagues to feed into Mason, however, in the past 20 years I don't think Bill Brown or Tom O'Connor properly nurtured those types of relationships for recruiting purposes. I think Bill Brown just did his summer camp every year and that's it. They had no real plan on engaging with all the AAU and county/town leagues in Fairfax, PW, Loudoun, etc. to turn mason into a baseball factory when kids get to high school. We could have been a juggernaut for many years if handled correctly in the past.

But still no reason we shouldn't be consistently good every year in baseball with the right recruiting and FACILITIES to match! Meaning a freaking baseball field with gaddamn lights lol

Just play the games a Patriot Park North off Willow Springs Road down Braddock Road on the right just past the Parkway. They have new Turfed Fields and lights.

Patriot Park North | Park Authority

Fairfax County, Virginia - Patriot Park North

www.fairfaxcounty.gov