For those that have been to the sports complex inside the gates of Wayne Jamison Field at Bridgeport High School, you probably don’t get a feeling of urban blight or blight of any kind for that matter. Nearly everywhere you look – from the football field, to the track, to the baseball field – there are modern amenities that serve city students as well as the community at large.

 

Earlier this week, Bridgeport High School Principal Mark DeFazio told me that the new roof on the Field House is 95 percent complete. There’s a good chance by the time you read this it will be 100 percent complete.

 

“It looks absolutely great,” said Defazio. “I’m pleased with it because it not only takes care of the roof problem, but it brightens up the entire facility and you can see it all the way from Johnson Avenue from the time you walk through the gates. Now, the only sore spot is the field house itself.”

 

Before getting onto the “sore spot” that DeFazio refers to, it should be noted that there are things not only in front of said sore spot that take priority, but there are also things that have been done in recent years that continue to make the Jamison Field athletic complex one of the best in the state.

 

Most recently, the new baseball press box and concession stand was completed with the assistance of Bridgeport resident and businessman Paul Smith. This six-figure endeavor produced not only a first-class and much-needed facility at the baseball field, but has an upper level that is as good as anything I’ve seen in the state.

 

The area available for the media alone surpasses the space available that was in play at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston for the state baseball tournament. You could literally have three dozen writers configured into the area if necessary. Just to make sure that I’m not exaggerating the space and just how nice it is, if you know BHS baseball Coach Robert Shields, ask for a quick tour. When you’re finished, you may want to rent the place out as a place to live in the offseason.

 

That said, there are things ahead of the field house that need fixed. Most notable will be the effort to raise funds to replace the existing six-lane track and put in the second edition of artificial surface, which DeFazio said will most likely once again be Field Turf.

 

The fundraising needed for that will almost certainly surpass the $500,000 mark. Once that’s done, DeFazio would like to set his eyes on the inside of the field house. He said there’s plenty that needs to be done and BHS football Coach Josh Nicewarner doesn’t disagree with it.

 

“It’s going to take time to do what all needs to be done. We’d like to make the visiting locker room bigger, the weight room could be expanded and the area where the press box is at really needs a lot of attention and TLC. That may be the thing needing our first effort. You just don’t know where to start and whether to replace or repair, but you do know it’s going to cost a lot of money,” DeFazio said. “Everything is functional, but it needs attention. We can’t deny it.”

 

Nicewarner said that’s where it’s tough to make a sale a lot of times. He said the fieldhouse – used by many sports by primarily occupancy by the football team – works as is, but has many underlying problems that could end up creating bigger problems.

 

“I’ll be the first to tell you we’re fortunate for the facility that we have. Quite frankly, we go to a lot of other facilities throughout the course of the year and they don’t compare,” said Nicewarner. “The thing is, you can’t get into a comparison game. Our building is pushing 40 years now and it needs attention. It’s the type of attention that a few thousand dollars aren’t going to address. We’re talking serious financial contributions and we know that has to come from outside the school system as their resources are limited.”

 

Nicewarner’s concerns center on the electrical and drainage issues. He said the most noticeable is the drainage.

 

“Any time it rains we get water in here where before it only happened after a big rain or prolonged rains. It’s not a huge problem, but it could be and it has before,” said Nicewarner. “During one of my early years as an assistant, I think in 2003, I waded in here with water up to my waist to salvage things from the desks.”

 

On Nicewarner’s wish list is expanding the weight room. He said the existing weight room is fine, but the program has money for needed equipment to purchase and it just won’t fit. He said power racks where a student-athlete can do all their work at one station will not work in the building as laid out.

 

“The weight room isn’t just for football. You have track, soccer, volleyball and cheerleaders using it and when you have that many people using it and they either have to wait or they find themselves stuck with one piece of equipment it’s discouraging; especially when you’re giving up your own time to be here. Maybe the fact we have so many kids involved is a good problem to have, but you hate to see them walk away because they can’t get a turn.”

 

Nicewarner said he wouldn’t want to be the one tasked with determining where to start. He just knows there’s a laundry list of things needing done.

 

“Is the weight room a priority? Probably not, but eventually some of these things will need addressed. The electrical and plumbing alone is probably a six-figure project and no one would even see that,” said Nicewarner. “We’ve got a lot of things to address and not a lot of money to address it. Knowing we don’t have it as bad as most others is a good thing, but again, shouldn’t stop us from getting started when it’s possible.”

 

When to start is the question as much as where. And the big question is the one no one has the answer to.

 

“The problem for us, as it is for everyone, is money,” said DeFazio. “The bottom line is the bottom line and you can’t continually go back to the same people for help. I’m at the point where when some people see me coming they know I’m probably going to have my hand out so they go the other way. Unless someone had a few million dollars lying around, this is going to take time and patience.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows workers putting the finishing touches on the new roof to the field house, while the front of the worn out press box, which includes windows that are hard to see out of, is shown in the second photo. Below is the Thomas L. Harvey Memorial weight facility, which after 15 years is now lacking space.