05/16/2026
We recently completed our batting cage improvement project, and I have a lot of people to thank for making this job a success. As most of you know, our batting cage consists of a pole building which used to have turf laid over a rock base. The groundwater would seep into the turf, making the already unlevel ground a tad damp.
Over the winter, Adam Oliver with Oliver Concrete Designs, came to me and offered to donate his companies time and labor to pour a concrete floor in the cage. This was obviously an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up, and I can't thank Adam enough for his generosity and commitment to our program.
With money donated by the family and friends of the late Reese Dawson, we were able to pay for the concrete, rebar, and turf for the project. Without this donated money, the project would not have happened. CalPortland and Construction Specialty Supply gave us discounted rates for the concrete and rebar. The City of Longview City Council and Parks Board both supported us by rewarding us with funds from the neighborhood parks grant to assist in paying for the turf (as well as the 15 sets of new aluminum bleachers at the park).
My own father, an excavation specialist by trade, and one of his friends, Reuben “Chris” Grendahl, spent hours at the cage with Grendahl’s tractor leveling and compacting the gravel in preparation for the new concrete.
Chase Rathmell and other board members and parents at LYB assisted in removing the soggy old turf. Chase also moved the doors to the building to the new height of the concrete and fixed the metal siding around the doors once they were set at the correct level.
Vancouver Bolt donated new hardware to hang our nets, making it easier to slide the nets back and forth.
Shawn Hinton, a parent and volunteer coach at LYB, who also owns True Colors Painting, donated his time and expertise to put a fresh coat of paint on the interior walls.
And finally, this week Mark Hernon and his team at Mark Hernon Floor Covering installed the turf for us. Mark gave us a great deal on the labor for the install, and to my surprise, the bill was picked up by one of our biggest sponsors, Mike Wallin.
I am sure I’m missing someone who helped with this project, and if I missed you, I am sorry. It has been time-consuming and has involved numerous people and organizations, but it’s a project that should last an extremely long time and improve our ability to properly train our young athletes. Our kids deserve a proper training facility, and I believe this is now a facility that will last a long time and serve thousands of our youth through the years. We also purchased new hitting training tools, and an indoor pitching mound to use when it’s inevitably raining…
I would also like to thank all our past board members and donors who initially built the batting cage/shop. Without your efforts years ago, this wouldn’t have been capable.
This project is a testament to the people and organizations who believe in maintaining, improving, and giving back to our community.
Thank you for all your support,
Aaron Marthaller
