Lisa Warren isn’t afraid of hard work and getting a little dirty in the process. If the Haralson County softball coach isn’t on the dusty diamond, she’s probably running a lawnmower for her landscaping business.

So when the time came to start working on the Rebelettes’ new softball field, Warren wasn’t about to stand around and watch others do all the heavy lifting.

Warren gathered her players, their parents, relatives and friends from the community in November and started what has certainly been a hands-on project. From welding in the winter to sodding under the summer sun, it’s been a long, sometimes arduous 10-month process.

The work is almost done and it will all be worthwhile when the Rebelettes play their first game at their new home Aug. 19 against county rival Bremen.

Located right off Route 120 at the entrance to the high school, the new softball field is impossible to miss, and that’s just the way Warren likes it.

“One of the neatest things I like about it is, bam, right when you come off the road, it’s the first thing you see,” Warren said. “And it looks nice.”

After having to pile all the team’s equipment into her truck last season and travel to the Rebelettes’ temporary home at the Tallapoosa Recreation Department, Warren’s excited to have a true home field.

Since the first concrete was poured in November, Warren has spent countless days and hours working on the field. Steven Bell, Jerry McIntyre and assistant coach Eddie Sullivan - who all have children playing in the program - have been by Warren’s side throughout the construction.

Those four used their network of friends and family to help get the job done. Warren’s brother did the cabinetry. Her brother-in-law framed the locker room and batting cage. Teamwork was the theme throughout the 10 months.

“It started off as a family and then I guess we’ve kind of made a family from all the time and energy and stuff,” Warren said from her new office, which is perched above home plate on the second floor of the two-story press box building.

The players pitched in by painting the lockers and laying a couple pallets of sod. Warren wants her players to learn that maintaining a good field is hard work.

As a professional landscaper, Warren isn’t about to take any shortcuts when it comes to keeping the field in pristine condition.

“I want my grass to be green. I want it to be cut. I definitely don’t want to have a bad-looking field,” Warren said. “I want them to get a sense of pride in their facility.”

Having put their own energy and poured their own sweat into the construction of the field should only increase their feeling of pride.

Warren said the field never would’ve been a reality had they relied on contractors to do all the work. The entire project, she said, cost around $171,000.

“We’ve just gotten a great facility because of the volunteer labor,” said Warren, who noted that the Haralson County Board of Education has been supportive throughout the whole process.

The first Haralson County High School softball coach, Jane Williamson, will throw the first pitch at the opening ceremony Aug. 19.

Williamson also used to coach the Rebelettes’ basketball team, which has a highly successful history and is what the Haralson County girls’ athletic program is known best for.

Warren wants the softball program to reach that level.

When she stands behind home plate at the new softball field, Warren knows she now has the facility to make that a reality.

“You’ve got a beautiful view out through there,” Warren said. “Standing at home plate and looking out is a nice view.”