Local athletic teams find Rantoul to be perfect stomping grounds

Mar. 26—RANTOUL — Ryan Reid probably wouldn't mind a few consecutive sunshine-filled days in the near future.

This month's frequent rain — and occasional snow — in Champaign County has made a very busy man of the Rantoul Family Sports Complex's director of sports operations.

"I'd say probably 80. It's pretty much nonstop phone ringing," Reid said when asked how many calls he got on Wednesday alone, from folks inquiring about using the complex's facilities.

"Now that all the local schools know we're here," Reid continued, "they realize the value of us being out here."

The value is becoming increasingly evident as area high school baseball, softball and girls' soccer programs, along with Parkland College's nationally ranked baseball team, are making great use of the complex's numerous all-turf fields amid dreary March weather.

"We're not trying to take away anyone's home field, but we're here when you need us," Reid said. "Nobody's dirt fields are ready. If their fields are still wet and we have space, it's just a quick call and rental for the field."

It's not just Rantoul school district teams making the short trip across town to compete on one of the complex's 16 outdoor fields or two indoor fields — though Reid noted he is required to keep one baseball field, one softball field and one all-purpose field available for the city's teams at all times.

St. Joseph-Ogden, for ex- ample, played a Wednesday baseball game against Bismarck-Henning/ Rossville-Alvin and a Thursday softball game versus Clinton at the spacious facility just off Interstate 57.

"I've seen what a great facility it is and how they take care of it," Spartans athletic director Justin Franzen said. "But what means the most to us, for our kids at St. Joe, is when our fields are not playable, we can make a call — and sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.

"We certainly don't expect to play there every time we make a call. But if we can make it work, Luke (Humphrey, Rantoul's parks and recreation director) and Ryan Reid out there are just fantastic."

Franzen said it costs his school district $150 for a single-use rental of one complex field.

"Sometimes you can split that cost with the school you're competing against, just depending on who's paying for umpires," Franzen said. "It's pretty affordable. How they've made things work over there has been great."

Reid has employees who tend to the various fields and the facility as a whole. The entire staff displays significant flexibility, Reid said, given how the complex's usage needs can change abruptly.

"This weekend, we've got a softball tournament with 48 teams, so we're already setting up for softball," Reid said. "We did turn a couple local (baseball) teams away because they need a 300-foot fence line, but everything is set for 225. We have to balance our own work schedule with what we have maintenance staff ready to do."

Some schools' teams aren't afraid to make lengthier trips to squeeze in some March athletic action on the accommodating turf.

Reid said the softball team at Pontiac High School, which is more than an hour away from Rantoul, has been in touch with him for months about scheduling games. Reid added that teams from Naperville and New Lenox, in the Chicago suburbs, were going to contest games in Rantoul before ultimately canceling.

"We've had a couple colleges from Wisconsin play last year," Reid said. "Those are probably some of the farthest to say, 'Hey, we need a place to play. Our fields won't be ready.'"

Much closer to Rantoul but experiencing the same issue is coach Anthony Silkwood's Parkland baseball team.

The Cobras (18-3), ranked 20th in NJCAA Division II, have posted an 11-1 record at Rantoul Family Sports Complex so far this season. They've played zero games and held zero practices at their actual home facility.

"We were able to practice in Rantoul before we played those games, and it provided tremendous value," said Silkwood, who became familiar with the complex via his coaching with AAU baseball's local Yard Goats program. "It helps out those schools that can't financially support a turf field. It provides a place for them."

An increasing number of area school districts are making an investment in turf playing surfaces for their athletic teams.

Champaign Central debuted its all-turf soccer field and turf-infield softball setup last week, to go with the Maroons' turf-infield baseball layout.

Unity and Westville are two local schools that have added several turf options in the last few years. BHRA and Monticello are working on their own renovations in that regard. And this doesn't even touch upon the growing total of turf football fields around the area.

But, as Silkwood alluded to, not all districts are in the same boat. Enter Rantoul Family Sports Complex.

"It's just fantastic," Franzen said. "We love to give kids opportunities. Any chance we can have that extra option, it's fantastic for the kids."

Like Franzen, Silkwood lauds Reid and his staff for their efforts to accommodate as many area sports teams as possible.

"The people are what make this place special," Silkwood said. "It's never about money. Yeah, we pay for it, but he's genuinely trying to help, and it's awesome."

From Reid's point of view, he wants the complex to create some happy experiences to replace frustrations associated with poor spring weather.

On Wednesday, "we opened up concessions ... (but) we don't even have all the food here yet. So it's just like, 'Sell what you can,'" Reid said. "Try to make their lives a little bit better while they're standing in the rain."