The Seminole State College Educational Foundation finalized their contract on Sept. 10 with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation to officially begin work on the Brian Crawford Memorial Sports Complex.

“This is an exciting step forward for the Foundation and the College. I am proud to be a part of this historic project that will positively impact SSC and the surrounding communities,” said Lance Wortham, SSC Educational Foundation Chair.

SSC President Lana Reynolds also expressed her excitement to move ahead with the complex and stated that a groundbreaking ceremony will be forthcoming this fall. “I want thank President Emeritus Dr. Jim Utterback and Foundation Chair Lance Wortham, as well as other major donors and supporters, for their dedication and hard work on the development of the sports complex.  This is an important project for the College, the community and this area of the State,” she said.

Dr. Utterback, who is overseeing the development of the project for the Foundation, commented that having the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation involved with the complex brings it to the next level. “The expertise and stature of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation brings a proven quality to this project that is unmatched across the nation. Having done approximately 100 of these major fields, they have extensive knowledge and skill that will be highly valuable to our project. I continue to be impressed by their experience and professionalism and I look forward to working with them on this project.”

Founded to honor the legacy and life of Cal Ripken, Sr., a longtime coach and mentor, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation prepares at-risk youth for life’s challenges by teaching them critical life skills. Through transformational at-risk youth programs and multipurpose parks, they create safe opportunities for youth in need to develop valuable life skills, build character, connect positively with local law enforcement, and learn how to make productive choices for their future.

By partnering with youth-serving organizations and schools across the country, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation provides educational life skills curriculum for adult mentors to use to better engage and teach children.

The Brian Crawford Memorial Sports Complex will be constructed on a plot approximately half of a mile west of the SSC campus on Highway 9, adjacent to the new Seminole High School site. The SSC Educational Foundation plans to host a groundbreaking ceremony later this fall.

The first phase will be a 7.25 million-dollar project and will include a Trojan baseball stadium and field, training facility, lighting, artificial turf, area landscaping, site dirt preparation, restrooms, snack bar, press box, parking, and a youth multi-use field that can be used for baseball, softball or soccer.

Additional phases of the project will include two youth baseball/softball fields, a parking lot extension, a combo field, a dedicated soccer field, additional restrooms, an additional snack bar and a maintenance building. The Foundation approved proceeding with these phases as additional funds are raised for the project.

The Seminole State College Educational Foundation was established in 1972 to provide support for the College, its programs and students.  Each year, the Foundation provides approximately $100,000 in scholarships to SSC students.  Additionally, in recent years, the Foundation has assisted with the building of the Roesler and Seminole Nation Residential Learning Centers, the development of the Henderson Park area, the Ben and Bonnie Walkingstick Student Services Center and the Dan and Andrea Boren Center.

The Foundation is led by 29 business and community leaders from throughout the College’s five-county service area and beyond.  The Executive Committee of the Foundation is composed of Chair Lance Wortham of Shawnee and Vice Chairs Jeramy Rich of Prague and Doug Humphreys of Holdenville.            

For more information about the Foundation or to provide financial support for the Brian Crawford Memorial Sports Complex, contact the Foundation office at 405-382-9506 or Dr. Jim Utterback at 405-382-9555.