Ideas for Prospect Meadows to thrive

I am the former Kirkwood Sports Complex Manager 2000-2010 as an independent contractor.

In 2001 the complex changed the focus to creating and attracting youth tournaments and leagues. I am very proud to say it became the first successful youth baseball/softball complex in CR. We had a large distribution list of youth softball teams from Eastern Iowa. Little Reds, Junior Cougars, and Babe Ruth Baseball tournaments and leagues were also recruited to use the complex more often.

After the 2001 season, the complex was in line with financial expectations from Kirkwood. It was nice that The Gazette featured the improvements, in several full page ‘Recreation’ pages during my tenure. We made no asks for public money.

My answers to Prospect Meadows, in light of their requests for public funds to pay down debt:

1. Lighten the management numbers. 8 fields in operation for 7-8 months can be easily managed by one person.

2. Manager should be a youth softball/baseball person aligned with teams and umpire groups to run the operation.

3. Change the fields to dimensions to suit the largest number of youth teams. 8U-14U softball and 8U-12U baseball make up 95% of the travel teams in the country.

With any luck, after a couple seasons, the complex will deliver on the promises made, and maybe some plumbed restrooms can be added.

Charlie Visek

Hiawatha