Girl Scout Grace Kent, a 16-year-old from North Bend, has set a goal of increasing safety in the dugouts at the Torguson Park fields, and another goal of earning her Gold Award next spring.

Kent, a Girl Scout for 11 years, is also a longtime softball player. She plays catcher on her Eastside Catholic varsity fastpitch team.

“Softball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” she said. “Unfortunately, injuries have always come hand in hand with it.”

She cites dugouts as a “commonly overlooked” injury source, and said she believes a successful game depends on a safe dugout, with equipment that is stored properly and accessibly during games.

For her Gold Award, Kent proposed buying and installing bat and helmet racks for the Torguson dugouts. She has hosted two bake sales, and plans to do more. She also recently started selling concessions at the weekend games at Torguson fields.

Kent is also attending games to track player injuries during the season, and hopes to continue the tracking after the racks are installed.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn. To achieve it, a scout must first win a Silver Award, also for a community project, and complete a “journey book.” Kent received her Silver Award in 2013, for organizing English country dance lessons for children.