From Dirt to Turf: New chapter opens for South Ripley athletics
JULIE POLLOCK ELLIOTT PHOTO
An official ribbon cutting took place during the dedication ceremony for the newly renovated Forest G. Waters Field at St. Elizabeth Ball Park. South Ripley Supt. Rob Moorhead, Principal Derik Hutton, Lana Miller and Bob Meyer (Tyson Fund) are joined by: Kenny Pope and Carrie Graham (Reds Community Fund), Phil Castellini and Doug Healey (Reds), Garren Colvin (St. E), Tom Doen (Duke Energy Foundation), Chancellor Graver (Ivy Tech) and Stan Lay (1981 SR Sectional team).
South Ripley High School officially celebrated a major investment in its athletic facilities Wednesday with the dedication of the newly renovated Forest G. Waters Field at St. Elizabeth Ball Park.
The ceremony, held April 22, brought together school officials, community leaders and representatives from the Cincinnati Reds, St. Elizabeth Healthcare and other partner organizations who helped bring the project to life.
The renovated field serves as the home for South Ripley’s baseball and softball programs according to a media release and now features a series of upgrades designed to enhance both playability and the overall experience for student-athletes and fans.
Improvements include a new synthetic infield, a portable mound and adjustable base configurations to accommodate both baseball and softball competition. A portable outfield fence for softball has also been added.
Additional enhancements extend beyond the playing surface, including a new brick donor plaza, updated signage and an improved PA system.
“Because of all of you, our players now step onto a field that reflects their effort, their pride, and their future,” said South Ripley High School Principal Derik Hutton acknowledging the community members who helped contribute to the project where more than $17,000 was raised.
Several speakers addressed the crowd during the ceremony, highlighting the collaboration behind the project. Among them were Cincinnati Reds President and CEO Phil Castellini, St. Elizabeth Healthcare President and CEO Garren Colvin, South Ripley Community Schools Superintendent Rob Moorhead and South Ripley High School Principal Derik Hutton, along with Tyson Fund President Bob Meyer.
As tradition goes, South Ripley Superintendent Rob Moorhead shared how great of a day it was to be a raider. Moorhead also emphasized the impact that Forest Waters had on the South Ripley Community School Corporation and the importance of keeping Waters name as part of the renovated. “I know that he (Waters) is looking down from up there just beaming,” Moorhead told the crowd.
“We’re really just a catalyst. It takes partners, volunteers and communities like South Ripley to bring a project like this to life. [… ] This is really a testament to what can happen when a community works together, collaborates, dreams big, and then makes big things happen,” said Cincinnati Reds President and CEO, Phil Castellini.
The renovation marks the fourth field project completed through a partnership between the Reds and St. Elizabeth Healthcare across Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. Previous projects include facilities in Bellevue, Dayton and Augusta, Kentucky.
“We’ve learned these fields become much more than places to play games—they become gathering places for the entire community,” Castellini shared with the crowd after speaking of the three previous field projects completed prior to South Ripley.
Following the dedication, South Ripley’s baseball and softball teams took the field for a doubleheader against Rising Sun, which was the first time in school history the Lady Raiders softball team have competed on the Forest G. Waters field at South Ripley.
For South Ripley, the project represents both a nod to tradition and an investment in the future of its student-athletes.
