February 12, 2020 UPDATE

Can't believe it's almost the middle of February!

If you drive by the baseball field you will definitely see some work happening.

Dugouts, clubhouse, and equipment shed have all been taken down and taken away. Over the last few weeks they have been digging for the new dugouts.....which will be HUGE!! (Compared to the old ones!)

This week they have started prepping to get the cement slabs poured.

The cold weather is great because it keeps the ground cold for the equipment to drive on the field.

Check back here for more updates. WE ARE STILL TAKING SCOREBOARD DONATIONS!

Please consider forwarding this site to other Cooper Baseball alumni!

You can follow the renovation progress via photos on our Facebook page - Robbinsdale Cooper Hawks Baseball

There may be snow on the field but things are still moving ahead with Cooper Baseball!

As of January 19, 2020, we have raised over $4,000 towards the new scoreboard. We did find out we will need to pay a portion of the new scoreboard cost instead of the entire amount. We will continue with our $15,000 goal in anticipation of raising enough for a scoreboard on the JV field.

Please consider sharing this page with other Cooper Baseball alumni, friends and family. No donation is too small!

If you are part of a company that would consider making a donation, we have secured the ability to showcase those company logos during the Cooper baseball games.

If you prefer to make a donation by check, please mail to:

Cooper Baseball Program - Scoreboard
Attn: Tim Palm / Sara Thurston
8230 47th Ave N
New Hope, MN 55428

Thank you again to those who have donated. This is an exciting time for Cooper Baseball and are happy you can be a part of this project.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING this adventure with your fellow Cooper Alumni!

There are some exciting things happening at the Cooper Hawks baseball field and we want to share the news!

We also need your help and hope you will keep reading!

We are very excited about some field improvements that are happening this fall, thanks to capital improvement money from District 281 Building & Grounds. Additional field improvements needed will have to be self-funded by the baseball team and our supporters. We are reaching out to our Hawk Baseball Family - alumni, parents, and supporters - in hopes that you can help us reach our goal.

Scoreboards

The Cooper Baseball Team needs to replace the scoreboard in center field of the Varsity field.

The current baseball scoreboard has scored hundreds of Hawk games since the mid-1990's and lived its best life, but it is time to be retired. If you have been to a home game in the last few years, you know that the current yellow light bulbs are next to impossible to read and replacement light bulbs are no longer available for this board. The current board also has a habit of going out during the middle of a game.

We are looking at a new scoreboard with white, long-lasting, easy to read, LED light bulbs from Daktronics. If possible, we would love to be able to have an inning by inning score board. The new board will also be wireless and games can be scored from a phone App!

While we are in the early stages of fundraising, we know that the price will run in the $12-15,000 range which would include the new scoreboard painted in school colors with updated logos, installation and training. Our current scoreboard is unusable for 2020.

A second, smaller multi-purpose scoreboard is needed on our recently renovated JV field to replace the current non-working scoreboard. This will run in the $5,000 range.

Upgraded batting cages

Our current batting cages are in need of some updated fencing and new nets. While the Varsity and JV scoreboards are our first priority, we'd like to be able to designate some money to upgrading the batting cage area in the future.

We know we have an aggressive fundraising goal of $20,000.

Do you remember these dugouts?

After 55 years, the Cooper concrete block dugouts and block storage building have served their purpose and are scheduled to be demolished and replaced!

Over the next several months there will be many improvements made at the Cooper baseball field. These improvements will include:

NEW, larger dugouts with on-field storage of field tools
- No more crumbling cement blocks
- No more rain through the crumbling cement blocks
- No more mold growing inside the dugout
NEW larger garage will replace current clubhouse and block house
- Single car garage size will replace current buildings
- Tall enough to store L-screens and other equipment during the off-season.
- Dedicated space for field and team supplies
NEW fencing around the field
- 48" high fence in front of the dugout! Players will be able to see over the fence onto the field!
- Upgrade fencing for player safety
- Match new fencing of JV field

The above improvements are being funded by District 281. You may not be aware but in 2016, the District also re-did the JV baseball field with adding drainage, leveling the field and new fencing. We are very grateful for the Districts commitment to Cooper High School and the Cooper Hawks baseball program.

Team-Funded Season

In today's climate the game of baseball has become a self-funded sport for many schools. That is no different at Cooper. Over the last 10 seasons, the current years baseball team does a spring plant/flower fundraiser. Money raised from that annual plant/flower sale is used to support the annual team expenses of the 3 teams that make up the Cooper Baseball Program. Outfitting a Hawks baseball player averages $200-$250 annually, per player. That cost includes the following:

Full Uniform including jersey, pants, hat, belt - $150-$175 per player
Game Balls - up to $75 per dozen (Spring baseball in MN anyone - rain, snow, sunshine!)
Practice Balls - up to $50 per dozen
Team Equipment including bats, batting helmets, catchers gear, tees, L-screens, and other training equipment
Field Maintenance equipment including Diamond Dry, and aglime.

While the current team roster raises money for their current season expenses, we are hopeful that our extended Cooper Hawk Baseball Family will help us in our fundraising efforts for a new scoreboard.

With the help of our Cooper Hawk Baseball alumni, families and supporters, we believe we can meet this goal and complete our field upgrades with new scoreboards, as well as continuing to support the sustainability of the Cooper Hawks Baseball program.

We would be very grateful if you could share this link with former teammates, families and other friends of Cooper Hawks Baseball.

Donation Checks can also be mailed to:

Cooper Baseball Program - Scoreboard
Attn: Tim Palm / Sara Thurston
8230 47th Ave N
New Hope, MN 55428

CHARACTER.

Competitive. Consistency. Commitment.

Cooper Hawks Baseball is FAMILY.

Cooper Hawk Field Improvements

By Cooper Hawks Baseball

Cooper Hawk Field Improvements