Officials marked the start of construction on the Cy-Hope Youth Baseball Complex with a groundbreaking ceremony May 1.

The property is the future home of Dierker’s Champs, a program that allows hundreds of elementary and middle school students from low-income families to play baseball in a positive environment. Larry Dierker, former Houston Astros All-Star pitcher, announcer and manager, oversees the Cy-Hope program.

“The progress they're making is not only becoming better ballplayers but becoming more accountable, responsible, being a good teammate, ... so many of those values that we can learn in sports and apply later after we finish our education and are on to whatever we're going to do as an adult,” he said at the ceremony.

In case you missed it

Larry Dierker said the program held its first season in 2012 and has not had a permanent home during that time.

Community Impact reported in May 2022 Cy-Hope officials purchased 7 acres of surplus land from Cy-Fair ISD after construction of new district facilities took over the former site where games were held.

Located off Windfern Road, the fields will be adjacent to the former Windfern High School.

Plans include:

• Three turf baseball fields
• LED lighting
• A concessions stand
• Restrooms
• Batting cages
• Paved parking

How it happened

With a $5 million price tag, the project has garnered support from several local individuals and organizations.

Additionally, The Houston Astros Foundation is committing $1.5 million to the project, and Energy Capital Credit Union was awarded naming rights following a multiyear sponsorship agreement with Cy-Hope worth $2 million.

“With a small investment today in the lives of kids, we can help prevent them from making poor choices in the future,” Cy-Hope Executive Director Lynda Dierker said May 1. “And in turn, we can save major dollars that we would otherwise spend later on. ... I mean, wouldn’t we rather invest today in a sports field than later on in prison cells?”