Cataula Youth Sports Association looks to rebuild complex after tornado

In Cataula Youth Sports Association president Jeff Allen’s mind, the timing of Saturday’s storms was as much a blessing as it was a curse.

A tornado that tore through part of Harris County flattened Cataula’s batting cages and knocked the roof off part of the building that serves as a concession stand and equipment room. While Allen and his fellow volunteers start the rebuilding process, Allen was quick to point out that had it been three weeks later, players and their parents could have very well been caught up in the destruction.

With the damage limited to the structural nature, Allen has his sights on getting the area ready with the opening day of youth baseball on the horizon.

“We have an 11-person youth sports board that oversees and operates this facility,” Allen said. “It’s pretty much been all of our spare time figuring out what our next step is going to be, getting things priced out and assessing the damage. It’s been pretty hectic, and it’s going to be hectic for quite some time.”

The facility has been a staple for the Harris County community for several decades. The land was donated to the non-profit association in the 1980s. From that time, parents, coaches and locals have funded upgrades such as a field redesign, the concession stand and the covered batting cage.

That history has helped to get locals involved now that the recovery has begun. Allen explained that many of the children involved in youth sports today have parents who also grew up playing on the same fields. Now that the area is dealing with weather damage, those who have enjoyed the park in the past are reaching back out to see what they can do.

And there’s no shortage of help needed.

“Obviously, (we need) manpower, resources and skills,” Allen said. “We’re going to need folks who have carpentry skills. We’re going to need some folks who have skills with chainsaws and that sort of thing. We just need folks to come out here and help us clean out the equipment room and help us haul off trees and that sort of thing.”

To help with the process, the park will have two clean-up dates for volunteers to help out. On Jan. 28, there will be a clean-up effort from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. There will be a full day dedicated to the work on Feb. 4, beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. From there, the focus will be on rebuilding.

Allen discussed several different options the board is considering for fundraisers involving those around the Cataula area. The association has also created a GoFundMe, which has raised over $1,500 since its creation on Saturday.

The road ahead appears to be a long one, but for Allen, the efforts are worth it considering what the park provides for those who play on it.

“It’s very important,” Allen said. “Myself and a lot of folks on this board, we’re committed to this, our kids and the community. Those are the two big things that drive this: the community and the kids.”

This story was originally published January 24, 2017 at 9:31 PM with the headline "Cataula Youth Sports Association looks to rebuild complex after tornado."