GREENSBORO, N.C. — Guilford County Schools is considering using the Greensboro Grasshoppers Stadium for Grimsley High School baseball games, according to the school's athletics booster club president.
Grimsley High Athletics Booster Club president Brandy Adams said baseball games would be at the Greensboro Grasshoppers Stadium until April 1 and then the team would play at Stoner-White Stadium
Officials with the Greensboro Grasshoppers told News 2 there is a possibility the games would be played there, but nothing is concrete right now.
The new Kiser Middle School is expected to be built on the current site of the Grimsley High School baseball and softball fields. This has left Grimsley parents demanding answers from the district about where their children will practice and play games.
Goode Van Slyke Architecture officials said in March that construction on Kiser would begin in summer 2022, making the ball fields inaccessible. While architects have not been solicited to design new baseball fields yet, Good Van Slyke officials said there is room to put fields on the current site of Brooks Global Studies Magnet School, which is being torn down and rebuilt on the site of the old Craven Elementary School on Parkwood Drive. Those fields could potentially be finished by the spring of 2025.
"The process has been trying at times," said Adams. "It is my duty and the booster club's duty to look out for our athletes. So it’s one of those things where of course the outcome that we wanted is not happening however it makes me hopeful to have a team close to me working to come up with solutions on what the future will look like."
In March, GCS officials said they planned to partner with Greensboro Parks and Recreation on a three-year shared use agreement to use city facilities.
Adams said the softball team would play games at Revolution Field.
"I feel sure that if there was a professional softball team that played within Guilford County that they would find it in their hearts to donate and reach out to our athletic director to say 'hey we want to donate the space we know you guys are in need.' Unfortunately, we don’t have that," said Adams. "It’s not ideal, (...) you can’t compare the two (Revolution and Grasshoppers Stadium), they are non-comparable, but I feel like GCS will continue to look for better ways to have a better location for our softball team to practice and play."
She said soccer and lacrosse would have access to Kernodle Middle School's facility when the school is not using them.
Right now, Adams said, the district has not come up with a plan for transportation to the fields.
District 5 Board of Education member Deborah Napper said she has been in contact with Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan and interim GCS superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley and said they have some "promising leads," but she could not go into specifics.
News 2 reached out to Guilford County Schools for an update on the plans.
"It's unfortunate that preliminary information was released before plans for Grimsley's athletic teams have been completed. We understand parent frustration and the importance of athletics for families," said GCS Chief Operations Officer Michelle Reed."
"As we have said from the beginning, parents will be the first to know once plans are confirmed and finalized," said Reed. The district's goal has been to have a final plan for parents and student-athletes before the start of the school year, which begins on August 29th. We are still on track to meet that goal."