Coaches pitch idea for year-round youth training facility

Carleen Wild, Enterprise staff
Posted 1/8/25

By Carleen Wild Moody County Enterprise

Local youth baseball and softball players could see significant improvements in their skills — if they have access to a year-round indoor training …

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Coaches pitch idea for year-round youth training facility

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Local youth baseball and softball players could see significant improvements in their skills — if they have access to a year-round indoor training facility.
That was the case made by longtime player and coach Bret Severtson during a recent Flandreau City Council meeting.
Severtson, joined by fellow coaches Zach Zephier and Chris Wiese, appealed to city officials to consider turning the old vacant Flandreau Fire Hall into a community sports hub. The former fire hall, now empty following the department’s move to a new facility, has drawn interest from several groups, including the county ambulance service and food pantry.
“We’ve always been a baseball community, but we’re falling behind,” Severtson told the council.
“From an offensive standpoint, we’re just not getting as many offseason practices as other teams.”
The proposed facility would cater primarily to baseball and softball players but could also serve other sports like soccer, and pickleball. It would also provide space for fitness classes, meetings, and community events.

“We currently have youth baseball players traveling out of town for offseason training,” Severtson said.
“This facility wouldn’t just keep them in Flandreau — it would give all local kids the opportunity to improve during the winter.”
According to Severtson, about 120 youth baseball players and 70-80 softball players would benefit, with the numbers expected to grow. Flandreau’s high school softball program, now in its second year, continues to attract new talent.
Severtson also emphasized that the facility would particularly help kids who lack the financial means or transportation to train out of town.
“This isn’t for the kids who can already travel. It’s for the majority who can’t. We want to create a level playing field,” he said.
The facility would include specialized equipment like netting and durable flooring to handle the wear and tear of training. Severtson and other advocates also pledged to handle much of the work themselves, leveraging community partnerships already established through past park improvements done by the Flandreau Baseball Association and the Flandreau Cardinals.
As the city and county continue to discuss using the old fire hall for the ambulance service, Severtson has begun exploring the possibility of building a new recreation facility if the fire hall isn’t an option.
“There’s a shared sentiment in the community that this can be done,” he said.
Severtson invited residents to an upcoming informational and brainstorming meeting on January 15th at 6:30 p.m. at The Merc in downtown Flandreau to gauge community support and explore the project’s viability.
“This is something Flandreau needs for our youth,” he said.
“It would help us keep pace with other communities and give our kids the chance to excel in their passions.”