PARADISE OF THE NORTHWEST
WACONIA
COMMUNITY GUIDE | 2023
A grand view from the grandstand
Baseball in Waconia has become a staple . After years of hardship , the alumni of Waconia High School have worked hard to make Lions Field a destination , and years of unheralded work has made a dream into reality . Lions Field now features a new grandstand , where the facilities try to live up to the play on the field .
The Waconia grandstand is a newly-built facility that serves more than 400 fans with amenities including a concession stand , ADA compliant restrooms and a new press box . Seating includes Metrodome seats , bleacher-style seating and plaza patio areas . On both sides of the grandstand there is a plaza space for viewing the game over the dugouts and mingling with friends .
And for a city that has been building a baseball powerhouse , the great atmosphere in the stands reflects great play on the field .
The Waconia baseball program has been sending collegiate athletes onto further pursuits for years , and while the Wildcats and the Lakers have been successful , they have yet to reach their peak .
The Lakers have become a powerhouse in the Crow River Valley League , with Waconia residents taking to the diamond and delivering numerous state tournament appearances . The Wildcats , the high school team , have reached a No . 1 ranking in Class AAA and that is only the beginning for players , coaches and fans that are connected to the community .
Lions Field is a place where families can gather on a summer day , as kids dream of their future on the diamond , while members of the community gather to raise funds for those in need . As adults mingle and talk about what is happening in the area , kids race each other to grab the foul ball that they can hand to their in-town idols .
Whether you watch the Lakers or the Wildcats , fun is to be had and a win is likely , as Waconia baseball finally has a grandstand to live up to the atmosphere in the stands and the play on the field .
In 2021 , the community hosted the Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament for the first time ever . Waconia will co-hosted the 2021 version with nearby Chaska and Hamburg .
Waconia Lions Field also hosted two other major tournaments in 2021 - the Junior Legion Baseball Tournament and the Gopher State Classic .
COMMUNITY GUIDE 2023 | WACONIA | Page 51