Dateline: January 26, 2006

Fox Sports honors Clarendon Broncos

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Years of hard work paid off Tuesday when the Fox Sports Network gave national recognition to the Clarendon Bronco baseball team for its work to improve McClellan Field.

A camera crew and Dave Knobler of “High School Spotlight” visited the team and interviewed senior Quentin West and talked to Coach Brad Elam. Lee Wikle of Discount Tires in Amarillo presented the team with a “Home Team” plaque, and the baseball program will receive a $400 award.

“This is a big award for these kids,” Elam said. “A lot of hours went into the field, and we’re not through yet, but we’re about to get there.”

The community wide effort to improve the field has been made up of students, parents, the school, the city, the Little League, and other interested people. Many volunteer hours were donated to the rehabilitation of McClellan Field and to the nearby softball field. No one group did it alone, but the Broncos themselves did a lot of work.

West told Fox he and his teammates did the work not just for their own sake but to give back to the community and to the Little League.

“You’ve got to give something to get something,” he said.

Clarendon ISD Counselor John Taylor nominated the team for the award saying, “Our school and community are very proud of our new fields and [of] the Bronco baseball team for their investment into this project.”

A committee in Fort Worth reviewed Taylor’s nomination and other nominations and made the selection for the award.

The field, located west of City Park, is owned by the city, but the high school uses it to play varsity ball.

When the baseball program started six years ago, the need for improvements to the field were clearly evident, but work didn’t start until about four years ago.

Since then, a new press box has been erected, a new backstop has been installed, new grass has been sown, and about half of the fencing around the field has been replaced.

New dugouts were constructed last spring, and a new scoreboard donated by Lowe’s Family Center was installed  at the field just last Thursday.

Elam said there are still some items on the wish list for the field. Immediate plans call for a new, taller outfield fence to be installed, and new lights are needed for the field. Elam also hopes a new sprinkler system can be added sometime soon.

The “High School Spotlight” segment featuring the Clarendon Broncos will air Sunday, February 19, at 11:30 a.m. and Monday, February 20, at 6:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Network. Check with your cable or satellite provider for the correct channel.