Petaluma High School dugout, diamond renovations led by all-volunteer effort

The 10-year-old Petaluma High School baseball diamond is getting a much-needed makeover, but the work, centered on the dugouts, backstop and pitching mound, is much more than a beautification project.

It’s designed to make the dugouts larger and more comfortable and the entire facility more player friendly. The project has the approval and support of the school district, but is being done with donated funds and materials, along with volunteer labor.

The work was sparked by Petaluma’s second-year coach Scott Osder, who took a look at facilities around the Vine Valley Athletic League and determined the Trojans’ facility did not compare favorably with many of the others. He envisioned a diamond comparable to the Vintage facility in Napa.

“Our facility will be on a par with what I saw at Vintage,” the coach said. “It will be getting close to the quality of the team we put on the field.”

A highlight of the project is the renovation of the dugouts.

“We will be extending the dugouts 6-feet in length and widening them,” Petaluma assistant coach Dante Del Prete said. “We will almost double their size.”

Much of the work and materials is being donated by Team Ghilotti.

“(Team Ghilotti) are generously donating 100% of the labor and materials to facilitate the v-ditch drainage alterations, concrete prep and pour, renovation of the bullpen and field pitching mounds, correctly resetting the field base foundations and supplying safety padding on the front dugout fencing,” said Del Prete, who was instrumental in building the current dugouts 10 years ago.

Del Prete said the rain, while needed, is the cause for some concern. “It isn’t doing us any favors,” he noted. “We want to have it completed by the start of practice early next month.”

Among the many businesses and community members contributing to the project are Able Fence Co., Golden State Lumber, Vulcan Materials Petaluma, Greg Nelson Construction, Mead Clark Lumber, Marsh Painting, Barry Construction and Studio101 Designs.

Petaluma assistant coach Brooks Drysdale, an outside sales representative for Dunn Edwards Paints, is facilitating the painting improvements. Dunn Edwards Paints is donating all of the paint needed for the dugouts. A painting party is planned when the project reaches that stage of development.

Many others have also contributed.

“There are so many people working behind the scenes on this project and to help keep our baseball program going,” Osder said.

Among the many contributors was an anonymous donor who pledged $4,000 to match other donations.

Del Prete said the donations were greatly appreciated. “I would like to thank the Petaluma High School administration, the district office, all of the volunteers and our generous donors. Without their support, this would not have been possible.”

All donations were separate from PHS RevTrak and other fundraising donations that go to pay for operating expenses, such as umpire fees, balls and uniforms.

Petaluma is the defending Vine Valley Athletic League baseball champion, coming off a 21-10 season and a trip to the Northern California playoffs.