New Softball Field Unveiled at Skelos Sports Complex

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Wednesday at the Dean G. Skelos Sports Complex in Rockville Centre, marking the opening of a new state-of-the-art NCAA softball field.

The extensive renovation was accomplished as a public/private partnership whereby the Village of Rockville Centre supplied the land and Molloy College the capital to build the new complex.

Molloy College has entered into a 20-year agreement with the village to further improve the athletic facilities at the Skelos Sports Complex.

The original plan called for NCAA baseball and hockey fields, which were outlined in the project for Centennial Park, but they were removed from the plan because engineers found structural deficiencies in the ground underneath the park that would have resulted in unexpected, additional construction costs, officials said.

The Bob Klein Softball Field gives the college an NCAA-regulation softball field and provides the village, as well as the Rockville Centre School District, with the cost-free use of the upgraded field.

"It gives our children a wonderful opportunity to play on a modern NCAA field," Mayor Francis X. Murray said. "Our local sports organizations are gaining first-class synthetic surface fields. It is far beyond what we could do with our taxpayer dollars."

In an effort to upgrade the facility and bring it to NCAA standards, Klein Field now features a playing surface consisting of an artificial turf outfield and DuraEdge clay infield.

Also included are an enclosed 60-foot precast dugouts with storage, designated and enclosed bullpens on the first- and third-base sides, a 60-by-33 foot enclosed batting cage beyond the left field fence, a 150-seat grandstand with an elevated press box located behind home plate and permanent outfield fencing set for NCAA regulation depths.

Existing lights have been maintained and utilized for the facility, making it the only complex with NCAA standard playing lights in the East Coast Conference.

In addition to the renovations to Klein Field, an artificial turf tee-ball field is being constructed beyond the center field wall, complete with 50-foot bases, team benches, water fountains and a backstop. This maintenance-free area will provide the town additional space for its growing youth softball programs to play games.

"We are pleased to be partnering with the Village of Rockville Centre on this project," said Drew Bogner, Ph.D. and President of Molloy. "It will provide an all-weather surface that will expand the availability and utilization of the field."