Christian Colonel has kept the poster board in his classroom as a reminder of a dream. Two years ago, he used a ruler and crayons to draw what he hoped the Highland baseball field would look like.

He colored in the grass and infield dirt. He sketched the dugouts and currently non-existent fence. He glued on possible sponsorship banners and backstops. He turned his vision into a sales pitch.

Months later, the fifth-year Highland baseball coach reached out to numerous banks and credit unions inquiring about the possibility of receiving funding for the project. Westmark Credit Union CMO Polly Simpson – a Highland alum – and CEO Richard Leonardson were interested in helping, even trekking to the school to look at a field Colonel says looks like a “cow pasture.”

“It looked that way when I was going to school there as well,” Simpson said. “This is something that needed to happen for a long time … We just think it’s important to help out when you can.”

On Thursday, Westmark – an Eastern Idaho-based credit union – announced a $250,000 donation to be used for the renovation of Highland’s baseball field that will garner the name, “Westmark Stadium.”

“It will give us a great foundation, a great start,” Colonel said. “In the next couple years, I anticipate fundraising to complete the total project, but (Westmark’s donation) will help facilitate a turf infield, a new backstop, new stands and perimeter fencing to secure the field.”

When completed, the Rams will finally be able to play varsity baseball games on their own campus. For now, Highland, Pocatello and Century all play their home baseball games at Halliwell Park and each gets one day per week to practice there.

For Highland, not having a solid home field has led to some creativity.

“Our freshman team would practice a lot around Cotant (Park),” Colonel said. “JV would practice up at a grassy place near Highland. They would have to throw down bases. Then we would practice at Highland when we weren’t at Halliwell … But the whole surface area is rough. This is going to be huge to get a turf infield.”

Colonel’s vision for this field is not for it to singularly benefit the Highland program. Will it do that? Of course. But, he hopes it can be used for little leagues, the American Legion season and maybe even for the state tournaments.

“It’s going to bring a little bit more excitement for our kids to see that they have high schools to go to that have fields,” he said. “Century has a field. Pocatello has a good field at Hawthorne. And now Highland has a field.”

Thursday’s check presentation, too, was a major victory in bucking the perception that District 25 is against accepting private donations. As the Journal detailed in our three-part series earlier this year, a more-than $250,000 donation to Highland from Connections Credit Union in 2017 wasn’t accepted.

Since then, under district athletic director Tonya Wilkes, the district has been eager to take private money that doesn’t necessarily help all three schools.

Highland has accepted a large donation from Connections to build a fieldhouse at Iron Horse Stadium. Pocatello received a $1 million donation from Lookout Credit Union for a new football field. And, now, Colonel was able to use private money to upgrade his baseball field.

“Something clicked down there in the district within the last year or two years to accept donations, which is better late than never,” Colonel said. “I appreciate them and their hard work to finally accept donations all across the school district. It seems a little more logical and I appreciate their open-mindedness and willingness to give it a chance with all schools.”

To help aid the additional funding needed to complete all the upgrades Colonel envisions, the Highland program is selling $20 raffle tickets that the public can buy for the chance to win a 2014 Dodge Dart. To purchase tickets, email Colonel at Colonech@sd25.us.