Westlake Polishes a Neglected Diamond

Since taking over the Westlake High baseball team under difficult circumstances last April, Coach Chuck Berrington has literally dug into the job.

Berrington, a junior varsity coach who was promoted to varsity after the previous coach was fired, found the team playing on an unkempt and rundown field unbefitting the program’s rich tradition.

“Our field was an absolute mess,” Berrington said. “There were weeds on the field, junk around it and the equipment sheds were a disaster.”

Berrington didn’t have to look far for help, turning to his father, Jim, a Fillmore rancher and longtime youth baseball coach.

With equipment and advice from his father and his players’ labor, Berrington has revived the field with organization, weed-killing and new infield dirt.

“During the winter I basically lived on that field and [the players] have worked hard and taken a lot of pride in it,” said Berrington, whose team is 9-4-1, 2-1-1 in Marmonte League play. “[Shortstop Scott] Dragicevich even goes out and works on his area on his own. “