Published: May 31, 2006 09:01 am      

Woodlawn opens baseball season at Chapman Sports Complex

By APRIL TOLER

april.toler@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Purple, pink, blue, and orange uniforms were abound Saturday at the Chapman’s Sports Complex in Woodlawn as the town celebrated the opening day of little league season.

For some communities, opening day of little league passes without much fanfare, but not for Woodlawn — the league and the ballfields are the is the culmination of a dream.

Families gathered to celebrate the complex and those who made it happen, during its third opening day which featured music, food, entertainment and softball and baseball.

“The complex truly is an asset to our community and something we can truly be proud of,” Woodlawn Mayor Beth Hassler told the crowd.

The complex, which was built three years ago, was named after Catherine and William, “Junior” Chapman, longtime community volunteers.

Catherine and her husband started the first little league in the town almost 50 years ago for their children and coached it for 14 years.

Catherine was presented with a T-shirt Saturday and tearfully said that when she and her husband were coaching all those years ago, she never imagined Woodlawn would have a complex like the one they have today.

And this year’s celebration is extra special for the former coach.

“It means more to me this year because my great-grandson is playing this year,” she said.

The dedication and commitment that the Chapmans had for securing a little league in Woodlawn continues to be a part of the community as organizations, businesses and individuals not only donated money to make the complex happen, but which also volunteer their time building and maintaining it.

Steve Johnson, founder and project director, said that although he is not surprised by the dedication of the Woodlawn community, he is often asked how they were able to build such a complex without any large grants.

To Johnson, the answer is simple.

“This is Woodlawn...and failure is never an option,” He said.

The work that hundreds of volunteers, who have donated time to the complex, is evident as the fields now have fencing which was completed this spring, lighting on the large baseball field, picnic tables, and bleachers.

The complex’s committee hopes to provide a walking trail around the fields and lighting on the other two fields. The committee is also working with Pepsi to provide a new, state-of-the-art scoreboard for the large, baseball field.

And the facility is not taken for granted by local little league parents.

Debbie Schwarzlose, mom of 7-year-old Logan who plays for the Woodlawn No. 2 Orange Crushers, said the complex has really turned out nice and seems to be coming along more and more each year.

“It makes a difference for the kids,” Schwarzlose said.

As for the future, it is wide open, Johnson said, because the committee has 10 acres available for further development.

And as the complex continues to grow, Johnson said the community will continue to band together to make Woodlawn a town that puts its families and children first, providing a safe environment for them to learn and play.

“Woodlawn is without doubt, one of the finest communities in this country,” Johnson said. “And as our population continues to grow...it just gets better and better.”