Chilton County athletics received a financial boost this summer.

The school received about $12,500 in grants, more than half of which will be used for athletic facilities.

State representative Jimmy Martin presented CCHS with two community service grants. The first grant, for $5,000, came from the state’s education trust fund and will go toward a new baseball facility.

“It’s important for students to have facilities that allow them to play up their potential,” Martin said. “This is something they will have a need for for many years.”

Work on the new facility will begin Monday, CCHS baseball coach Josey Shannon said. The building will include indoor hitting space as well as a locker room and coaches’ offices.

Shannon said the building will cost $52,000.

“This [grant] will get us going in the right direction,” he said. “We were very fortunate to be able to meet up with Mr. Martin on this.”

The other grant presented by Martin, which was for almost $5,000, came from the state’s general fund and was among money legislators were allowed to disperse at their discretion.

CCHS principal Greg DeJarnett said no decision has been made yet about what the money will be used for but that he appreciated Martin’s efforts.

“He’s a longtime supporter of Chilton County High School,” DeJarnett said. “Mr. Martin has done a great job, has represented District 42 very well, and we’re all proud of the job he is doing.”

CCHS also received $2,500 recently in the form of a Lemak Award, presented during All-Star Sports Week in Huntsville.

Most of this money will be used to renovate the girls’ locker room in the school gymnasium, DeJarnett said.

“I’m proud of [Athletic Director Brian] Carter and his athletic staff for working hard to improve athletics for our girls and boys programs, and their efforts have been recognized for the last two years consecutively by the Alabama High School Athletics Association,” DeJarnett said.

The school last year was the recipient of a Star Sportsmanship Award.

Carter applied for the Lemak award, named for renowned sports surgeon Dr. Lawrence Lemak, and the school was one of 10 recipients statewide.

DeJarnett and Carter thanked Lemak for giving back to high school athletics.

“I think this will definitely help [CCHS athletes] believe they have every chance to be successful,” Carter said.