SIOUX FALLS — As the weather warms up and the high school sports season transitions out of winter championships, it becomes a busy time at the Sanford Sports Complex, especially when it comes to softball.
The $32 million complex, which opened in 2022, features five fields capable of hosting softball games. They serve as the venue for Sanford’s softball tournaments in the city, and also host their baseball and softball academies along with little league games.
High school softball wasn't even up and running in 2022 when the facility opened, but it's proved to be an asset for the sport in South Dakota. On a recent Friday afternoon, three of the Sioux Falls schools were playing varsity games against opponents from Mitchell, Aberdeen Central and Brookings. The rationale behind installing the artificial turf at the complex is twofold, said complex scheduling coordinator Tyler Knopp.
“You want the consistency (of turf) rather than the outfield being turf and infield being grass and dirt,” Knopp said. “But in the region where we live, once you get a little turf showing and the sun comes out in the winter, the snow melts pretty quickly.”
“They do drain fairly quickly, so if you get a downpour in the morning, you’ll be ready to play in the afternoon or the next day,” he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ultimately, there are very few artificial turf, softball-specific facilities in South Dakota. Augustana University’s Bowden Field also has turf installed at its stadium in Sioux Falls, as does Northern State's Koehler Hall of Fame Field in Aberdeen, where the Class AA state tournament will be held starting on May 30. Yankton has turf in its infield at Sertoma Park for softball.
The Aberdeen Dome, which used to be the property of the now-defunct Presentation College, has hosted early-season softball games at the prep level, while other South Dakota teams have also played games at Dordt's dome facility in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Neither Division I university has artificial turf at its softball facilities. South Dakota State’s Jackrabbit Softball Stadium is currently a natural grass field, but the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex allows the softball team to practice indoors, and USD has natural grass at its home park Nygaard Field.
A planned multi-sport dome at Dakota State University in Madison could help boost softball in the region, with hopes to open in late 2025. The project got a $7 million donation from philanthropist T. Denny Sanford. According to DSU, at 327 feet wide, almost 600 feet long, and 100 feet tall, it would be the largest dome facility in the United States.
Whereas natural grass fields might take a couple of days to dry out and be prepped for play, turf fields don’t require much maintenance to make the field game-ready. Knopp and his colleagues help with preparing and keeping the complex to standard, as Sanford Sports Complex does not have a dedicated grounds crew.
Turf fields are also advantageous regarding early-season practices and games due to the unpredictability of the climate in the state and its quick draining abilities. Additionally, the earlier the games that are played prove vital later in the season.
“We observe it as coaches when we practice indoors on the gym floor versus going to play on a agroline or turf surface,” said Mitchell softball coach Kent Van Overschelde. “The floor is almost too fast and unproductive. Playing on multiple surfaces gives us an opportunity to figure out what we need to work on.”
Mitchell’s home field at Cadwell Park is a natural grass and dirt field, where long periods of rain can leave puddles in the outfield after it passes. The Kernels opened their season at the Aberdeen Dome with a doubleheader on April 4, playing on turf. From a playing perspective, being able to switch between surfaces throughout the season works to enhance the skills of everyone on the field.
ADVERTISEMENT
“When something’s a little different, you get a better focus on the things in front of you,” Van Overschelde said. “That diversity helps us focus on our game, and helps us enjoy the opportunity to play this game.”
In Sioux Falls, by Knopp’s estimation, at least 75 teams across high school and club organizations will use the complex fields this year, including teams from all three high school classes. The Dakota XII Conference recently held its conference tournament in a single day at the Sanford complex in Sioux Falls.
While it creates a situation where the complex has had to turn teams away due to scheduling and limited space, Knopp understands why most areas still have natural grass and dirt fields.
“It is a financial lift right away, but turf is a huge game changer because of the ability to play,” Knopp said. “But at the end of the day, each community has to do what is best for them.”
It’s ultimately the goal of the complex to be able to serve the Sioux Falls area and all neighboring communities, making a quality facility accessible to more teams. Having a state-of-the-art facility allows the fields to be ready for the busy spring season much faster than others, providing a resource for everyone to use.
“We want to take care of the community,” Knopp said. “We want to try and meet those needs and just be there for people and just be as flexible as we can.”
The Trust Project
