Softball Team Hoping To Rebuild After Practice Facility Collapses During Storm
RANCHO CORDOVA (CBS13) - A training academy for local softball players has been red-tagged. It's an unfortunate casualty of Sunday's monster storm.
The roof of the PS33 academy in Rancho Cordova collapsed when heavy rain hammered the region. The owners say photos of the aftermath don't do the damage justice.
Many players held back tears, saying this storm took away much more than just softball gear. It washed away their home away from home after they returned from a tournament to find their training facility in shambles.
"Neighbors said it was about 11 p.m. that they heard what sounded like a plane or something large crashing into the top of the building," said PS33 Academy co-owner Bonita Allen.
Sunday's super soaker proved too much for the Rancho Cordova building. Its roof collapsed. Now, about a third of the building is gone and the thousands of dollars worth of equipment inside was also swallowed up.
"I know it's been three or four days but we're still trying to process this,' said PS33 Academy Co-Owner Wes Archie.
Now, they're covering their bases here at Lincoln Village Community Park.
They're running drills and transforming their typical workouts to stay on top of their game. For longtime players like Isabella McFarlane, this "curveball" has been tough.
"It was just like my whole world stopped. Like, I have grown up in that facility," she said. "The last thing that you can visibly see standing is a pitching net. It just kind of hurts."
While the Academy waits to hear from its insurance company, they're hoping to soon find a temporary home so players can practice through the winter months.
"As long as it doesn't rain, we'll come out here in the conditions. If it's 40-something degrees, we'll practice. Our girls are pretty tough," said Archie.
No one was hurt when the roof came down. The community has set up a GoFundMe account to help replace equipment, find a new place for the girls to train, and rebuild.