Stillwater Softball Scores $35,000 Locker Room Makeover
Locker room upgrade appreciated, but coaches emphasize hard work and team spirit remain paramount for player development
Sports
The Stillwater High School softball team now has a modern locker room after community members raised $35,000 in just a week and a half to fund major renovations.
The project includes new lockers costing $14,000, LED lighting for $2,500, new flooring for $8,200, and customized Pioneer stools for $2,500, with additional external guttering work still to come. The school district contributed by providing the entire facility with a fresh coat of paint.
"We raised well over what we needed, which I couldn't believe," said Chris Norris, assistant coach at Stillwater Softball, who led the fundraising effort. "The minimum given was a thousand, and we had someone give five and I gave five and we had some 2,500s."
The renovation addresses years of inadequate facilities for the softball program. The project gained momentum when baseball moved out of the shared space, giving softball exclusive use of the locker room.
"When it became ours for sure, we were like, we gotta do something," Stillwater High School head coach Karie Linsenmeyer explained.
Katie Norris, Chris' daughter and a former standout Stillwater softball player who graduated in 2008, visited the renovated facility and reflected on the dramatic changes since her playing days.
"It didn't exist," she said about locker room facilities during her time as a player. "We changed in the street."
Katie described how players had to change clothes in their cars or in the parking lot before the basic bathrooms were built during her freshman year.
"We literally changed clothes, like, in our cars on the way to practice. Or like, when you got here, literally in the parking lot. Us and the baseball team were just, like, kind of mixed," Katie said.
A wall in the newly renovated locker room is adorned with signatures from past players. Katie Norris who played for the Pioneers from 2004-2008 adds her signature to the wall. – Photos by Chris Peters
The former player, who now works as director of operations for the Oklahoma State University softball program, emphasized how the new facilities demonstrate community support for the athletes.
"This shows people care a lot about you to have a place to put your stuff and to change," Katie said. "Like, how important to just have, like, somewhere to, you know, put your phone and not leave it in your car."
The coaching staff emphasize that while the improved facilities are appreciated, they don't replace the fundamental requirements of dedication and hard work.
"They still gotta play. You know, you can't make them better because of a nice locker," Norris said. "But it maybe makes them feel maybe a little more appreciated."
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The coaches hope the renovation will have a positive psychological impact on players while maintaining realistic expectations about performance improvements.
"I would hope that it would be nothing but a positive," the Linsenmeyer said. "I'm hoping that they'll play hard because that's what's within them."
The renovation represents the coaching staff's commitment to providing the best possible environment for their athletes.
"We worked hard for it because they deserve it. They deserve the best that we can give them," Linsenmeyer explained. "That's what we do as coaches all the time. You know, we try to give them our very best, and that's what we did."
Alison Aguilar collects her softball gear from the newly installed lockers. – Photos by Chris Peters
The new locker room features secure storage that allows players to safely store personal belongings, including phones and equipment bags, without worrying about theft or damage.
Players were kept curious about the renovation progress during construction, with the coaching staff refusing to reveal details until the official unveiling on alumni night.
"Those girls, they kept on," Norris said. "'They're like what's going on in there?' We ain't telling."
The transformation from the previous conditions, which included moldy carpet, to the modern facility with new flooring, lighting, and storage represents a significant upgrade for the program.
Katie Norris noted the generational impact of the improvements, observing that current players were born around the time she was playing under much different conditions.
"These kids were like, maybe born when I played 2008," she said. "This is incredible."
The project demonstrates how dedicated community members can transform high school athletic programs, providing student-athletes with facilities that match their dedication to the sport.
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