By BEN CAMERON
Pumas embarrassed because poor facilities don’t suit Aces…
A LACK of facilities has kept Pakenham Pumas Baseball Club hosting Australian Baseball League club the Melbourne Aces at its Toomuc Recreational Reserve base a pipe dream.
Club vice-president Gemma McCormick said club officials had been in contact with Baseball Victoria about the Melbourne Aces potentially playing at the ground but a lack of drainage, lighting and permanent clubhouse had stalled plans.
She said the club was also turning potential players away because it could not operate over summer.
While the club had benefited from Cardinia Shire Council grants in the past for a batting cage and extension of the baseline fences, it cannot play its five senior and four junior teams over the summer because facilities are used by Little Athletics competitions.
“During the winter season, we have just over 100 playing members and, unfortunately, we have to turn them away come summer,” she said.
“We are the only club in the competition that doesn’t have clubrooms, which can be really embarrassing at home games when players and officials have to change out in the open.
“When we hold a function or fund-raising event, we need to either brave the freezing winter conditions… or spend money hiring out a venue, which also means we miss out on bar sales.”
She said summer was the “serious season for baseball” but the club did not have its usual access to a canteen, storage or a clubhouse.
“Now that we are an A Grade winter club, we want to take that next step and enter the summer competition,” she said.
Conservative estimates are that the club will need almost $700,000 to construct clubrooms and install important drainage for its two diamonds.
Fifteen home games have been cancelled over a five week period due to the surface being deemed unplayable.
A lack of lighting also meant the club can’t train at night.
“We have tried to come up with possible alternatives for facilities over the summer but none are practical,” she said.
“With no facilities, we could not possibly charge fees the same as other clubs. Without canteen sales or even a place to hold a function we would have to charge double.
“Nobody is going to pay $600 to play at Pakenham when they can go to Berwick for $350.”
She said the reserve also lacked shelter and that the club held a working bee over the weekend to plant trees, which were funded through a council grant.
While the Aces came to the area for some clinics last year, Baseball Victoria Game Development manager Justin Huber said the conversation about them coming to play hadn’t extended beyond “hypothetical locker room talk”.
“It would be very helpful in promoting the game,” he said.
“To play a home and away match (in Pakenham), you would need some significant upgrades.
“It brings a bit of buzz to the sport. Like having AFL teams come to the regions, it’s a great promotion for the game, it really does help to have a pro team at grassroots level.”
The Aces have played several matches away from their Altona base including at Waverley, Cheltenham and Preston.
