I need help on this issue

[COACH ROBERT BAKER BLAST]

I live in a small town that has three softball fields which are county owned fields. I have two travel ball teams a 10u & 14u. that has practiced on these fields for years. I have 23 players from the same small town which we all live in and the all parents are tax paying citizens in this county. I was informed today 4 hrs before my practice from the county manager that the only time we are allowed to use these fields are on Wednesday and Sunday. Recball is allowed to use them when ever they want and we are not. Has any one ever had to deal with this before? The closest fields we might could use is about 40 mile away and in another county. Why do we have to use church nights or church days to practice our teams when everyone else does not.

 

[mogsoftball]

fairly common that the rec teams that are basically run by the city/county get precedence over a private team. the rec teams have to let anyone in the community play, you do not you can exclude people.

Around here you have to find a field and get some time scheduled where a rec team isn't using it or else pay for one.

We are lucky that this year we have our own field.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

If we want to make certain that we have fields for travel ball, we have to reserve them (around rec ball) and pay the fee.

 

[YOCOACH]

In our area, all of the rec leagues have first dibs on their local fields. If a TB team wants time on them, they have to pull a permit for the field with whatever local authority has jurisdiction and schedule their practice times around the rec teams. Depending upon the facility, a small fee may be charged as well. The resoning behind this is that the rec teams will take anyone in their local community thus being a truly community based organization where as TB teams may pull players from across several areas/leagues/etc. and will only take a certain number thus excluding a vast majority of the community players. I understand that your team may be completely comprised of community players but you are a private entity and don't represent the community as a whole since you are taking a select few.

 

[Sparky Guy]

If you have 90% residency on your team it's time to make waves. You are a community based team/organization. You have as much right to the fields as the rec teams do. Get your parents involved. It's their taxes that pay for the facility.

 

[knightsb]

Call your local school district office. Our school district will allow us to practice at regular scheduled times as long as a certain percentage of the team is comprised of district residents. A couple years ago, we adopted a local elementary school field that was really run down, after some roundup, a homemade field drag, and a few man hours, we made due for an entire season.

Another year a nearby church allowed us to use a field where we were able to do some hitting, conditioning, and out-fielding.

With 23 players, get resourceful, ask the parents for help. You may be surprised what connections some folks may have.

Good luck to you.

 

[JAD]

We practice on a high school field.

 

[Lenski]

Our practice field is a HS field as well.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

3 softball fields in a county? That must be one small county. Heck we live in a "town" of less than 6000 residents, and have 9 softball fields. lol

If those fields are county/city/town owned, CCT run, the CCT keeps up the grounds, the CCT is "involved" in the rec league...................you're just about out of luck. We had such a CCT program when my DD started as a 5yo. During that spring season of CCT organized rec league ball, it always has priority over private teams. After All-stars, the fields opened back up for private teams by appointment.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

But, they did offer you Wed. and Sunday. I would make it work, somehow. Maybe you could get one of the rec teams to switch with you.