Maricopa Wells Middle School baseball and softball players will have a little more shade this season, thanks to a donation to improve the dugouts.

The dugouts at Maricopa Wells Middle School’s baseball and softball field received a facelift recently.

Aug. 4, Tom Dugan and employees from T&K Feeds installed new shades over the dugouts. Dugan also donated the cost of the materials.

The improvements come a few weeks before the Panthers’ first game Thursday, but sunny dugouts are something young ball players have had to live with in years prior, according to District Athletic Director Brian Winter.

“The dugouts did not have shade prior to Tom and his team installing the tarps/shade,” Winter said.

MWMS Principal Rick Abel said the school provides ice and water for teams on practice and game days, but he said the new shade installations will help kids stay cool.

“Most importantly they will provide some shade on these hot days,” Abel said.

The Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board will vote to approve Dugan’s $1,300 donation of dugout shade materials Wednesday night. The regular meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.

Also on the agenda are an intergovernmental agreement with Central Arizona College and policy updates on bus driver requirements, board member qualifications, staff discipline, fingerprinting and textbook adoption.