The Malad athletics are just barely dipping their toes into the winter season sports of girls and boys basketball and wrestling, but in the background of the Dragon sports machine, spring sports are already on the brain.  Softball and baseball may be more than four months away but the coaches, players, fans and supporters are working to be sure that everything is more than ready to begin their new season.

Ground officially broke for the new MHS ball fields in the fall of 2023.  The original plans of the new facilities included a pair of fields for each sport, but later funding complications led Malad High School to scale back the project with hopes to expand the complex to include four diamonds in the future.  

Not only do the updated grounds include the new fields, new and improved  dugouts and storage, as well as concessions, a second floor vantage point, and bathrooms.  An additional parking lot in the outfield of the softball diamond also provides space not only for games but for other events held at the high school.

The most recent update  to the pair of new fields over the summer and fall months are the score boards graciously donated by longtime supporters of the teams and the community- Brad and Kristen Horsley Family and Nucor Steel.

The Lady Dragon softball team finished their season on their new field, breaking the field on their final game of the season.  It was an exciting game, a no hitter shutout that featured four home runs in just four innings.  As the top seed of the district, the Lady Dragons also hosted the post-season district tournament on the new field.

But all without a scoreboard.

The funding hiccups eventually led to the unfortunate conclusion that the only way to put a scoreboard on both the softball and baseball fields was by donations from the community.  It didn’t take much asking and looking around to find supportive fans that were more than willing to help these great athletes have the complete facilities they have long deserved.

Nucor Steel, based in Plymouth, Utah, has employed hundreds of employees local to Malad throughout the decades since its opening and has never hesitated to support their employees, families, and communities.  The most recent generous donation of the new scoreboard completes the field for the MHS baseball team for the 2026 spring season.

New Dragon baseball head coach Chad Maroney commented, “We want to give a HUGE thank you to Nucor for their donation.  We are so excited for the new facility and the scoreboard is the icing on the cake.  We especially want to thank Chris Showell, Brady Showell’s dad, for doing all the coordinating.  We were told there were no funds left for a scoreboard.  We would have nothing if it weren’t for Nucor.”

Nucor employee Chris Showell stated, “Nucor is always great to support the communities of its employees.”  He continued.  “I'm proud to have been able to help facilitate this scoreboard, which prominently displays the Nucor logo so that everyone can see Nucor's commitment and support to our community and the families of Nucor's employees that live here in Malad.”

After such an amazing finish to their 2025 season as the 3A State Champion team, to say the team is looking forward to the upcoming year is an understatement.  Finally getting to play on the new fields makes them even more excited for the season.  Coach Maroney shared, “The team is in great shape for the new year.  We lost some seniors we will miss but we have some great kids stepping up with 10 freshmen coming out for their first year.”

Just like Nucor wanting to support the MHS teams, Brad and Kristen Horsley immediately stepped in to help the softball team finish their field with a new scoreboard.  The Horsley family has always been a big support of Dragon athletics but softball has always had a special place for them.

The Horsley kids started young on the field, Brad helping coach many of their teams.  These interactions made for years of memories, making the diamonds they played on almost a sacred space.  After the loss of their then 10 year old daughter Kambrie in a tragic accident, those moments on the field became even more precious.

Wanting to always remember their daughter, her love of the game and the talent she showed at even such a young age, the Horsley family chose to donate the scoreboard to the Lady Dragon field in her honor.  

MHS softball Head Coach Bri Adams said of their generous support, “We are super grateful for the donation of the scoreboard and that we will have an angel in the outfield this year with her name being on it. Kambrie would’ve been a freshman this year and I have no doubt that she would’ve been joining us for our season. It’s really cool for her classmates and friends to be able to look at the scoreboard and see her name and remember her. Thank you, Horsley family, for your thoughtful donation.”

Friends and family of Kambrie remember her as an outstanding softball player with bubbly personality and always smiling.  Coach Adams shared, “As an opposing teams coach I was impressed with her.  She was a very talented softball player and I remember watching her and being excited to get her in high school.  Everyone loved her and she was the kind of kid that loved everyone back.”

It isn’t just the players and coaches that are looking forward to the upcoming spring season, but rather a whole grateful community that sees supporters, from near and far, coming together to give the great youth of the valley all that they need.