Skyhawks Park History

In 1970, after playing at the old Stevens Park in Olympia, Bernie Keller and Pat Bucknell applied to the North Thurston School District to rebuild the old Lacey Grade School field on the corner of Carpenter Road and Pacific Avenue. The Lacey Athletic Association was formed with one Men’s Fastpitch team later expanding to 8 men’s and 8 women’s teams. After playing there for 10 years the school district informed them that they needed the area for a bus parking facility.

Working with the school district, local business people, and volunteers the facility was moved to the Nisqually Middle school area.

Bucknell Park is the reward of necessity. In 1980, the Lacey Athletic Association, LAA had to abandon existing softball facilities in order to develop a softball complex. With the help of the North Thurston School District, they were able to locate at the present site adjacent to Nisqually Middle School. With a long-term lease, they proceeded to build two lighted fields at an initial cost of over $120,000. LAA members donated at least 11,000 man-hours in the effort. The effort was lead by Pat Bucknell with great assistance from Larry Johnson, Steve Levett, Rockie Willis, and Joe Crawford. In fact, Willis Field is named after and dedicated to one member, Rockie Willis, who donated untold hours to the erection of the grandstand and other carpentry work. He suffered a heart attack while working at the Park, and died soon after. In 1986 Joe Crawford died from a heart attack. North field was changed to Crawford Field after Joe and Vera for all their help to the LAA.

In 1985, the 864th Engineers from Fort Lewis came in a built the back two fields. They leveled the entire area and spread the topsoil. Again this project was lead by Pat Bucknell and numerous volunteers, which built the concession stand and restrooms. The existing bleachers were trucked over from the Old Chinook Middle School Gym and installed.

The park was named after Pat Bucknell, co-founder of the LAA in 1970. After working for the LAA for 18 years Pat resigned from the LAA in 1988. The LAA and the Olympia Softball Association merged together to form the Thurston County Softball Association. The next 12 years the Thurston County Softball Association took care of the facility lead by Tom Jones, Fred Dorn, Carl Riedel, Bill Colglazier, Betty Barnes, and Don Goldsby.

In 2000, the existing President of Thurston County Softball Association, Don Goldsby reached and agreement with Pat Bucknell and Bernie Keller to come back and take over rebuilding Skyhawks Park. Bill Colglazier long time caretaker of the Park had stepped down and they were looking for someone to come in and take over all maintenance of the facility.

After working all summer on the facility, Don and the Thurston County board asked Bernie and Pat if they would be interested in taking over the Park. After much discussion and several different agreements between Thurston County Softball Association and the North Thurston School District, the Lacey Athletic Association was reconstructed and Bernie and Pat were new directors of the Park.

Fields 2-3-4 have been enlarged so baseball can be played on all fields. The park has the only two lighted baseball fields, 90’ base paths, in Thurston County. In 2005 it became the official home of Cal Ripken Baseball for the Thurston County area.

In the winter of 2006, the Park installed artificial turf on the existing Field 2 and the infield of Field 1. This will enable the Park to offer sports events, soccer, flag football, and softball the year around. The cost the turf was $475,000. Additionally the Park has put in a three-station batting cage with covered roof.

An investment group, led by Joe DiDomenico, purchased the rights to the park in February 2008 for $1,050,000 and took over the lease from North Thurston Public Schools. The new group purchased a Skyhawks Sports Academy franchise for Thurston County in the summer of 2009. Skyhawks Sports Academy runs youth sports camps in 25 states and Canada. The park was renamed Skyhawks Park.

Skyhawks Park continues to run softball and baseball leagues as well as rent fields 12 months a year. The park is known for the well-maintained fields and friendly atmosphere. Over 4,000 games a year are played at Skyhawks Park, including State and Regional Championship Tournaments. There are plans to aquire, from North Thurston Public Schools, the 16 acres the park sits on. A number of potential park improvements are also being considered, including possibly building a dome large enough to cover two full-lenth baseball/softball fields.