It is an understatement to say the past 18 weeks have been busy for University of Illinois Springfield baseball coach Chris Ramirez.
Since he was hired in the middle of July, he has managed many tasks, including helping design a place for the Prairie Stars to play on campus.
“It’s been an extremely productive fall,” Ramirez said. “We’ve taken on a lot, but I feel like we’re getting a lot accomplished.”
Ramirez announced his first recruiting class for the 2015 season last week. Two weeks ago, the Stars wrapped their 45-day fall season. Ramirez and his staff have organized a youth camp Thanksgiving week plus an indoor winter league. They’re planning a banquet to introduce the team in February. They’ve started a baseball booster club under the athletic department’s STARS Club.
Then there’s the monumental task of changing the Stars’ practice diamond to a home field.
After playing its first three seasons away from UIS, the school will soon have its own baseball field located on campus across from The Recreation and Athletic Center. In the past, the Stars played the majority of their home contests at Chatham Community Park with occasional games at Chamberlain Park and Lanphier Park.
The story was featured by The State Journal-Register on November 20, 2013.
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