COMET FACILITIES
"COMET PARK" - HOME OF THE COMETS
"Comet Park," home of the Reed-Custer High School Hustlin' Comets baseball squads, has traditionally been considered one of the finest high school facilities in the state of Illinois. The beautiful ballpark was christened on April 19, 1983 with an 8-1 victory over Kankakee Westview High School and has been very good to the Comets since then.
The seating capacity behind home plate and down each side is approximately 750 with additional lawn chair seating available down each foul line. Fans are kept informed of the play on the field by an electronic scoreboard located in left field. The music quality public address system provides fans with information, as well as music. A twenty-five foot carpeted and paneled pressbox is equipped with a phone system to each dugout. A hexagonal concession stand and restroom facility is located just outside the first base dugout, along with two carpeted batting tunnels.
The players and coaches enjoy modern 40 foot long dugouts of red brick construction, complete with bat and helmet racks, as well as water fountains. The park is fully enclosed with six foot chain link fencing. The outfield fence and lower backstop are covered with black windscreen and gold top rail cover for an enclosed atmosphere that provides a good background. Advertising signs (6' x 20') of mesh construction are hung on the outfield. The infield and outfield surface is tiled for excellent drainage and there is an underground sprinkler system. A limestone warning track surrounds the entire field.
On the third base side of the diamond is a spacious parking lot and ticket booth for fans' convenience. The park routinely serves as a host site for Illinois High School Association Regional or Sectional tourneys.
The ballpark has undergone major renovation during the fall of 2005-2007. A new infield crown and sod has been installed, backstop fencing and batting tunnel framework was painted and the warning track has been refurbished. Recently, new artificial turf bullpen mounds were installed.
Much of the credit for the fine appearance and cleanliness of the facility must go to Don Sharper, Comet Park Turf Manager.
Comet Park Infield
View from the Press Box and Second Base
Carpeted Batting Cages and Comet State of the Art Concession Stand
First Base Dugout and Scoreboard
Bullpen Mounds
Fans Flock to Comet Park At Tournament Time
REED-CUSTER COMMUNITY FIELDHOUSE
The Reed-Custer Community Field House is one of the finest facilities in the entire midwest for a school of comparable enrollment. The 55,000 sq. ft. building, which opened September 14, 1992 houses a six lane, 174 meter track composed of all-purpose rubber flooring. The facility is capable of holding seven sporting events at one time and utilizes four fully operational, electronic scoreboards. Inside the running track are three regulation high school basketball courts, within which are located three regulation volleyball courts, three tennis courts, or nine badminton courts. When needed, dividing curtains surround the inside of the track and partition each of the three basketball courts.
Adjacent to the indoor track is the popular fitness center which houses multi-station weight machines and stationary bicycles. Also located nearby is a fully equipped free weight room, a wrestling room, restrooms/dressing rooms and offices.
For baseball practice the Comets enjoy the use of two full size batting tunnels, which are suspended from the 35 foot ceiling and are lowered into place electronically. There is also enough space for two regulation infields and 6 indoor pitching mounds.
