Baseball team builds dome for fundraiser

November 7, 2022December 20, 2022 PAUL MILLER In the Net Sports Complex, Central Penn College, Palmyra Area High School, Central Penn Knights baseball, Owen Zell, Penn State - Harrisburg, Lebanon Valley College

Weather won’t make a difference for some sports teams practicing at In The Net

By Owen Zell

Knightly News Reporter

owen.zell@mymail.centralpenn.edu

The Central Penn College baseball team set out to help construct an inflatable air dome on Oct. 29 to shield practicing teams from the weather at In The Net Sports Complex in Palmyra, as part of a fundraiser for the team.

The project started with an 8 a.m. arrival for the Knights and lasted until about 2 p.m.

Group effort for a good cause

Several other local sports teams joined the Knights, including Penn State Harrisburg’s baseball team, Lebanon Valley College’s baseball and lacrosse teams, and Palmyra Area High School’s lacrosse team.

The players unfolded extremely large tarps and aligned them on the outside perimeter of the artificial-turf playing field. After a lot of work and inflating, the result was a success.

The dome allows sports teams across Central Pennsylvania to practice regardless of the weather. Soccer, lacrosse and baseball are the main sports for the dome during winter.

The players involved in the project also experienced a great team-building exercise working together.

“It’s good for our guys to get together outside of the baseball field and the classroom,” Knights head coach Robert Stern said. “It was also crucial to see how the freshmen bonded with the rest of the team.”

Each player was paid per hour, with that money going directly into their teams’ fundraising accounts. The money will pay for a wide range of team expenses.

Central Penn will use the fundraiser’s earnings for the teams’ athletic gear, transportation to games and various expenses related to the upcoming baseball season.