SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — Massive flooding in early July washed away a series of structures in Hays County, including the San Marcos West High School soccer field, which served as an afternoon practice site for nearly 70 students, many of whom dreamed of playing professional soccer.
“It’s not just a soccer field. It’s a place where we believe we can do something with our lives,” said one 11th-grader.
Two weeks later, a professional construction crew arrived unexpectedly, bringing new equipment, repainting the track, rebuilding the bleachers, reinstalling the netting… All the costs – nearly $750,000 – were paid in full.
No notice. No one knew who sent it.
Until the inauguration of the new field, when students were invited to come, they saw a red-and-white bench near the dugout, with a metal sign on it that read:
#28 – Nolan Arenado
“For the kids who stayed. Keep swinging.”
In a private video sent to students, Nolan confided:
“I was the only kid left on my team when the field was closed for lack of funds. I know that feeling – the feeling of being left behind. So I want to tell you: there are still people who are with you.”
Nolan did not appear at the ceremony. He sent just an old glove, with a handwritten note:
“You’ve already survived the hard part. Now, go play.”
A teacher shared:
“We lost everything, but today, the kids have hope again.”
Students took pictures with chair #28 – as a symbol of their spirit.
One student wrote on social media: “I never met Nolan, but you just gave me a reason not to give up.”
Not everyone saw Nolan Arenado’s work rebuilding a small ballpark in Texas. But for the kids in San Marcos, it was a place where dreams were reborn after the flood.
“When I hit the first pitch in the new field, I knew I wasn’t playing alone,” the 17-year-old student choked up.
“Thank you #28. Thank you for not forgetting us.”
In the world of baseball, #28 can be a symbol of a good hit. But in San Marcos, #28 is now a symbol of faith, of someone who never played with them – but stood by them when no one else did.