On May 1, Richland held its annual Pack the Park, for the Richland Thunderducks baseball team.
Every year, the Richland Athletics Department celebrates each sports team with a pack the park-like event. Basketball and volleyball have Pack the Gym, and baseball and soccer have Pack the Park. These events are usually toward the end of the season to celebrate the team and get a crowd to show support for their schools’ athletics.
This event had free hotdogs, popcorn, chips and water. These events are not solely for the sports teams. Richland works to bring the Richland community together by inviting all students to enjoy a day with each other. Athletic Director Lynn Nabi said: “We like to do cookouts and tailgates for that day to feed the college students to try and build a sense of community toward the end of the season. And we try to find a really nice day for it so everyone can come out and enjoy the game and enjoy the free food. It’s just a good way for us to tie athletics to the rest of the student body.”
For the Thunderducks baseball team, this game was also their first game in their series against Eastfield. This is their second-to-last series before they enter the double elimination tournament.
Currently Eastfield is No. 1 in the district, with Richland right behind in the No. 2 spot. The Thunderducks were also double celebrating as they have gotten yet another Player of the Week award. Caleb Solis was awarded Player of the Week in the Dallas Athletic Conference on April 28. This marks Richlands fourth baseball player award this season.
The event and game both ended successfully with many people in attendance and a Thunderducks win in a 3-1 game score.
