Extreme makeover for Evergreen Park
New indoor sports complex includes turf fields for the high school’s athletic teams
When the Evergreen Bath and Tennis Club was built, current Evergreen Park students and even some of their parents weren’t born yet.
Erected in 1975, the 94,000square-foot facility was considered state of the art.
Flash forward. The facility that originally cost $1.5 million to build was bought by Evergreen Park Community High School in 2019 for the same price, and it’s now EPCHS Sports Complex.
While the facility looks like an old building from the outside, the inside has a much different feel. The west portion has gone through a massive interior makeover, and that wing has a huge turf field that a variety of teams, including football, can use for practice.
Softball coach Michelle Vucsko was one of the first to take advantage of the complex as she held a camp in the west building.
“The best part was when the parents dropped off the kids, there was a ‘wow’ factor that the facility brings,” she said. “It’s great to be able to have that ‘wow’ factor when community members and softball players start coming here.”
“It’s absolutely amazing – it’s just unbelievable,” Evergreen Park football coach Jerry Verde said. “The possibilities for that building are endless for the entire athletic department.”
With COVID-19 concerns forcing the IHSA to move the football season from the fall to a start date of Feb. 15, an indoor turf field will come in handy.
“You have a weird scenario where if you don’t have an indoor facility you can’t practice in February,” Evergreen Park athletic director Jim Soldan said. “We plan on this being a hot commodity at that time. That could help give us a leg up on our competition.”
Since the school will be renting out the facility, it’s possible other area schools might also use the complex.
Senior linebacker/offensivelineman Christian Rosso is looking forward to that experience for Evergreen Park but in moderation.
“We’re all very pumped for that complex,” Rosso said. “We never had anything near that nice. I think it’s great, but I don’t want us to take advantage of it.
“We have to get used to the elements. But I hope we can mix in using it some days and being outside on other days.”
Soldan said the only other Southland school he knows of with indoor turf is HomewoodFlossmoor.
Baseball, softball and soccer teams, plus Evergreen Park’s band, figure to benefit from the facility if the weather is too hot or too cold to practice outdoors.
Vucsko is happy with the improvement.
“This will be the best because baseball and softball practices are not meant to be played on gym floors,” she said. “This will give us an opportunity to practice the way we should be practicing and we will be able to practice yearround.”
The east side of the facility also will get a makeover in the coming years but for now, it has six volleyball courts, six basketball courts and two tennis courts.
There are eight racquetball courts that will be turned into dance studios and a room with a golf simulator. An indoor track also is in the plans.
Aside from the complex, which is approximately a mile away from the school, the school’s softball and baseball fields are being dug up and also will be replaced with turf fields.
Soldan said Evergreen Park will be the only baseball and softball fields in the Southland with both turf and lights.