LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Taylor Emmons’ legacy is felt all over the ballpark.
From the archway welcoming patrons to the Taylor Emmons Memorial Field to a plaque celebrating Emmons’ rich, yet brief, life and the slogan inside the locker room, Emmons’ impact on the Out-of-Door Academy is front and center.
Emmons, a former Thunder baseball star, was killed after he was hit by a car in December 2010 at the age of 19.
“Obviously, it was a devastating situation,” Thunder athletic director Noel Beaulieu said. “What’s so nice is, with all the support that we get, we are allowed to and able to live and hopefully carry on Taylor Emmons’ name through the field, through the locker that we have. ... Everybody involved with the baseball program, let alone the Out-of-Door community, will always have a reminder of Taylor Emmons. And Taylor Emmons will be able to live through, basically, the baseball program. Hopefully, forever.”
On Tuesday night, though, there was cause for celebration as the Dietrich family -- all six members -- unveiled a donation to ODA athletics.
That donation includes a state-of-the-art scorer’s booth, concession stand, restrooms, storage areas and a locker room.
Each player has his own locker, and the dugouts are equipped with cubbyholes for players to put their belongings during play.
The total cost for the new additions to the Taylor Emmons Memorial Field was $600,000.
Billy Dietrich is ODA’s head baseball coach. His wife, Sandi, and their kids, Tyler and Alexsa, joined Billy’s parents, Bill and Sandy, on the field before Tuesday evening’s game against Bradenton Christian for the grand opening.
The family was presented two bats to commemorate the occasion, and Alexsa tossed out the ceremonial first pitcher to her brother, who is a catcher on the Thunder’s varsity squad.
“We firmly believe in paying it forward,” Sandy Dietrich said. “And it’s the idea that it is not just for Tyler’s class or until they graduate. This is going to be here for decades. And so it’s something that the community can come and enjoy.”
Billy Dietrich said the motto, “Leave no doubt,” directly relates to Emmons. It was an important part of the renovations, he said.
“His hat, his glove, his name, everything about him and what he stood for,” Dietrich said. “He gave 100 percent on the field, on and off the field, all the time. ... That was what he was about and that’s what we’re about.”
