Winter has officially started, but my mind is on summer softball. Next summer when the action heats up, my local field will stay cool.

Skokie’s Laramie Park has the nation’s first synthetic turf baseball field treated with a new form of cooling technology. The T-Cool technology reduces surface temperatures by 30 to 50 degrees. Treated with the new cooling solution, the new synthetic turf includes tiny bits of rubber to keep the blades of artificial grass standing upright. The treatment, activated by moisture, humidity and rainwater, is already in use at Laramie Park’s playground area.

The new turf-cooling system is part of a big improvement project for Laramie Park, which includes new dugouts, new pickleball courts, a new playground and more. Laramie Park is now the gold standard for the area. With other teams already vying for spots in the summer and fall softball leagues, it Is fortunate my teams are in the leagues already.

A few of us got together to check out the beautiful new field. Although it was the first day of winter, we took a few rounds of batting practice to break in the turf.

I am also looking forward to trying out the pickleball court. Developed in 1965, pickleball, a cross between tennis and badminton, is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. I have dabbled in it, but I am hoping to join a league this summer.

With recreational team sports shelved in 2020, I am looking to make up for lost time next year. I can’t wait to take my usual spot behind home plate on the new, cooler field.

— John Wroblewski, online writer