While Richmond County’s softball facilities will be upgraded in the near future as part of the settling of a Title IX investigation, another area school’s softball coach is happy with his recently revamped facilities.

Scotland County head softball coach Patrick Williams said the facilities at Scotland were upgraded in the past four years.

A new main field was constructed, with good drainage, and lights were installed, in addition to new dugouts and a new concession stand.

One of the main issues with Richmond’s facilities is the lack of lights on the softball field.

The old softball field is now used for practice and junior varsity games, Williams said, lessening the wear and tear on the varsity facility.

When visiting teams come to play at Scotland, they use the J.V. field to warm up, Williams said.

The upgrades weren’t done in response to any complaints or special requests, Willliams said.

“They say the need, and they went ahead and got it done,” Williams said.

At Purnell Swett, meanwhile, first-year coach James Graves has experienced some of the same challenges, and school officials there are dealing with the challenges one step at a time.

Graves said the Lady Rams’ field is about three years old. His team got a glimpse of how things are for some softball teams in the state during the recent NCHSAA playoffs.

A second-round game against Wake Forest-Rolesville was played on a rec field.

“The economic situation makes it tough,” Graves acknowledged.

Graves’ squad benefited from a game called early at Richmond late this season due to the lack of lights here.

A game was called in the sixth inning due to darkness with the Rams winning.

Preliminary plans for upgrading Richmond’s facilities include moving the field, so it’s further away from the road bisecting the campus; adding more bleachers; and installing lights.

Some have suggested that the baseball team and the softball team share facilities, but the different dimensions for the fields would make this unworkable.

The outfield fences in softball are much shorter than in baseball; also, baseball requires a pitcher’s mound, while softball simply requires a circle.

Richmond Athletic Director Hal Shuler said this week that the lights alone will cost in excess of $100,000.

Federal officials appear to be willing to give the school district some flexibility to get the project done in tight budgetary times.

The Richmond softball program has a proud tradition, with 12 conference titles and a tie for the title this season.

Title IX has been a hot-button issue in the U.S. since its passing in June of 1972. It’s generally associated with athletics, but the law was first meant to provide equal educational opportunities to women in both public schools and universities.

Contact sports editor David Vantress at 997-3111, ext. 14, or via email at dvantress@yourdailyjournal.com; contact sports reporter Travis Anderson at 997-3111, ext. 44 or via email at tanderson@yourdailyjournal.com.