Skywrighter.com: News

Air Force photo by Bethany Brant

From left to right, Steven Dooley, Dale Stevens and Chad Brant scale the newly reopened rock climbing wall. The wall is available for rental through outdoor recreation. For more information contact 257-9889.

Air Force photo Dale Stevens

Jeff Dixon rakes the field while Brian Poscoe looks on from his tractor at the Area B softball fields. The two were part of a collective effort to overhaul the diamonds to help improve playability during the intramural season.

Air Force photo Dale Stevens

Standing water would remain on the field for days at a time before Dale Stevens and other volunteers helped rework the fields would drain more efficiently.

Dale Stevens of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Sensors Directorate, has used his knowledge to improve both the summer intramural softball season and helping put the climbing tower back in commission.

Along with his AFRL teammates and some select players from other teams, Stevens reworked the fields so they would drain properly after it rained.

“When it rained in the past the fields took days to dry. In fact, last year’s Thursday night league I was in only played half their games,” said Stevens. “Today we can play within hours after heavy rains.”

Stevens said he did some surveying with an improvised elevation measuring system he put together.

“I looked at the run-off and determined the fields could support the drainage under the proper design,” he said. “With the help of many players, we donated more than 200 hours to help get the (Area B) fields ready for the year.”

Stevens said they used donated equipment from the golf course that was vital in flattening out the field so it no longer had a bowl shape that pulled the water to the center.

“Two weeks ago we had two inches of rain on Monday and Tuesday morning and we were playing ball Tuesday night at 5:30,” he said. “It definitely made a dramatic difference in turnaround in how quick you could play.”

Fitness Director Kirk Links said if it wasn’t for the actions of Stevens, the softball season might just coincide with the snowflakes.

“Stevens is the difference of having a softball season that goes on schedule or one that is strung out until Thanksgiving,” said Links. “Since he has worked the fields, we can play within hours of it raining.”

“Last year, the fields might be down for days. He not only worked the fields but also helped improve the capability of our staff,” said Links.

Another endeavor Stevens tackled was getting the rock climbing wall in Outdoor Recreation up and running. The wall was inactive for two years until the engineer noticed it being unused.

“It just needed some cables replaced in order for the license to be up-to-date,” he said. “We used it for our picnic and it was a huge success. Children go crazy over these things and now it can be rented out.