JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Cleats rake the deep orange dirt, making way for sweat.
The worn leather of the softball glove pats the soil down. For the present and future of Andrew Jackson softball.
"You would say this is our home away from home," Tigers head coach, John Sanchez, said.
The Tigers home away from home was a dilapidated sandlot a couple of years ago layered with hard clay, weeds, and broken fences. It was a far cry from what it has become in two short years, thanks in large part to its two coaches.
"Our first phone call was a match made in heaven," Sanchez said.
"He's like family," assistant coach, Kayla Sheffield, said.
Before Sheffield and Sanchez arrived two years ago, Jackson's story was characterized by blowout losses, unorganized practices, and zero belief.
"It really wasn't a program, it was really just something that I would say a club," Tigers outfielder, Whitney Kelly, said.
"Two years ago I was like probably ashamed to say I played for Jackson softball team," center fielder, Keara Smith, said.
Sheffield and Sanchez saw potential. They renovated the field, got sponsors and created an environment where no effort was unacceptable.
"It was rough to get to where we're at now it definitely took a lot of work there were a lot of ups and downs we stayed the course the girls believed in what we believed in, and they just trusted us," Sanchez said.
A 20 run loss would come with subtle laughs from the opposition. Now a tip of the cap follows a hard fought Tigers win.
Jackson is 12-5 on the season, it's the most successful campaign since the 80s.
"Our goals have changed, they're elevated now because our play has elevated," Sheffield said.
Sanchez and Sheffield spend hours manicuring the field after practice, their culture lives in the dirt, and it's their mission to preserve it for generations to come.
"I'm from here, I know what Jackson has been through, I know their story and they haven't had anybody care about them the way me and coach Sanchez care about them," Sheffield said.