Baraboo Thunderbirds Unveil New Discus Facility

The Baraboo High School Thunderbirds marked a notable upgrade in their athletics facilities on April 30, 2025, celebrating the inauguration of a new discus pad and cage at Beryl Newman Stadium. This significant improvement came after the old discus facilities were deemed unsafe due to frequent out-of-bound throws that jeopardized spectator safety. The upgrade included the installation of a new concrete pad and a cage repositioned to ensure that any discs thrown out of bounds would land safely away from spectator areas. This change not only enhances safety but also elevates the standards of the facilities to state levels. Key contributors to this project included Jared Beckwith and Fairfield Concrete LLC, who were pivotal in constructing the state-standard discus pad featuring a depressed ring. The realignment of the pad and cage owes much to the collaboration among Baraboo High School’s Athletic Director Jim Langkamp, Buildings and Grounds Director Dan O'Brien, and groundskeeper Tony Pace, the many maintenance department employees who helped install the new poles & net for the cage, as well as Throws Coach John Rogers, whose efforts have been crucial in revitalizing the throw areas at the school. The inaugural throw on the new discus pad was made by junior thrower Isabella Scheeler-Hermsen, marking a celebratory start to the facility's use. The improvements are expected to make the Thunderbird's facilities some of the best in the state for years to come, instrumental in fostering a safer and more competitive environment for the Boys and Girls Middle School and High School Throwers of the Baraboo/JYMS Track and Field Team.