Nansemond River High School’s state-champion baseball team is looking forward to a new season on an upgraded field this spring.

After fundraising and hard work from booster programs and players for the last five years, the Warriors are in the midst of renovations to their home field. Nansemond River always has had a nice playing surface, but the team wanted to renovate things such as the back wall and seating area.

Though there are still things that need to be finished, the Warriors are excited about the direction the work has taken.

“I think the renovations are going to draw a new crowd out to our games,” Warriors baseball player Gage Williams said. “Throughout the whole year, we had unbelievable support from our students and teachers. We look forward to more people coming to support us in the community and throughout the city.”

To help raise money for the renovations, the baseball team has held a annual barbecue each fall, and it has held other fundraisers, including raffles in the pring. The parents in the booster clubs deserve a ton of credit also, as they were vital to plans and opportunities to help with the funding.

A brand new state championship banner has been placed on the back wall in the outfield. Recently the backstop has been redone as there is a net there instead of a fence. By the spring time they plan to have stadium seating for the park, and bathrooms will also be put in place, as well.
“I have been using a Porta Potty out there for 15 years,” coach Mark Stuffel joked. “Thats one of the main things I’d like to get done.”

The players feel the remodel and being fresh off a state championship run will encourage more people in the city to come out and watch Warriors baseball.
“Suffolk schools haven’t won a state championship in baseball in a long time,” Warriors Jarrid Johnson said. “I think with us doing that it will get more people to come out and see who the Warriors really are.”

Today’s players will get to enjoy the new design, but Stuffel made it clear that without the help of players from previous years the renovations would not have been possible.

By the time spring comes around, it will be an exciting time for the Warriors as they will be defending their state championship as well as embracing positive changes.

“Coming off a state championship going into the summer I was already thinking about next spring season,” Williams said. “I knew once I heard about our remodels in August we would draw bigger crowds. I think this will be a big boost, not just for our team, but for our school.”

At the moment the Warriors are currently participating in fall league baseball, but they are already preparing for the coming season.