Travel costs for sb now. Flight. Hotel. Car rental....

[Rolling Hard]

I don't pay for hitting lessons and I don't pay for fielding lesson. I have free Antenelli videos and DFP. My DD practices 4 or 5 times a week. Quick easy 35 minutes at the park. Done. Going to start speed, strength and agility at her HS on Thursday(free). Well, really not free when considering tuition, but no extra fees.

 

[_MIA_]

I don't pay for hitting lessons and I don't pay for fielding lesson. I have free Antenelli videos and DFP. My DD practices 4 or 5 times a week. Quick easy 35 minutes at the park. Done. Going to start speed, strength and agility at her HS on Thursday(free). Well, really not free when considering tuition, but no extra fees.

That’s another thing, in a lot of places good luck finding any actual softball field that doesn’t have a lock on it. We used to use the PUBLIC park across from Marita Hynes until the local rec league changed to being run by somebody other than the town. They put locks on the field and said they would call the cops if they caught anybody practicing on their own. I had to beg Marcela’s future HS coach to let us use her MS field and I don’t think he would have let us if he didn’t know who she was already. For now that is fine for my young sons but I have no idea what we will do when they move to a bigger diamond as the situation is just as bad for baseball. When I was growing up no public parks had locks on them.

 

[YoungBuck]

That’s another thing, in a lot of places good luck finding any actual softball field that doesn’t have a lock on it. We used to use the PUBLIC park across from Marita Hynes until the local rec league changed to being run by somebody other than the town. They put locks on the field and said they would call the cops if they caught anybody practicing on their own. I had to beg Marcela’s future HS coach to let us use her MS field and I don’t think he would have let us if he didn’t know who she was already. For now that is fine for my young sons but I have no idea what we will do when they move to a bigger diamond as the situation is just as bad for baseball. When I was growing up no public parks had locks on them.

This is a growing problem across the country and in my opinion has amplified over the last couple of decades.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

The closest "public" softball field to me is about 20 minutes away. We have our HS and MS fields, but once the season ends, they are overgrown with weeds and grass. The public fields are all in use with men's leagues in the evenings, and weekends are usually have rec leagues using them.

This is a problem for all sports in my area. Other than our local schools, I can't think of where there's a local basketball court. Maybe it's just my town since I remember having a lot more parks where I grew up.

 

[YoungBuck]

The closest "public" softball field to me is about 20 minutes away. We have our HS and MS fields, but once the season ends, they are overgrown with weeds and grass. The public fields are all in use with men's leagues in the evenings, and weekends are usually have rec leagues using them.

This is a problem for all sports in my area. Other than our local schools, I can't think of where there's a local basketball court. Maybe it's just my town since I remember having a lot more parks where I grew up.

Yup, looking back I too grew up in a town with great community parks and fields.

In the state I currently live (Kentucky) they have an out-dated state athletic rule that for two weeks in the Summer school facilities can't be used. Not so much about the welfare of athletes as it is about the control of individuals.

 

[Vertigo]

Adding on to the earlier conversation, I also don’t think people consider how one financial setback can have a huge impact on a family who is struggling to keep their dd on an elite team. One poor medical diagnosis, car breakdown, house issue, job loss, etc, can all be a reason that a once affordable elite team is no more.

For instance, this past week alone our car broke down and our central A/C unit just conked out. For some players, those repair costs could be more than a season’s team fee. You just don’t know what another family’s situation is.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Adding on to the earlier conversation, I also don’t think people consider how one financial setback can have a huge impact on a family who is struggling to keep their dd on an elite team. One poor medical diagnosis, car breakdown, house issue, job loss, etc, can all be a reason that a once affordable elite team is no more.

For instance, this past week alone our car broke down and our central A/C unit just conked out. For some players, those repair costs could be more than a season’s team fee. You just don’t know what another family’s situation is.

One of my AC/Heat units went last fall, and it cost me $7,500.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

That’s another thing, in a lot of places good luck finding any actual softball field that doesn’t have a lock on it. We used to use the PUBLIC park across from Marita Hynes until the local rec league changed to being run by somebody other than the town. They put locks on the field and said they would call the cops if they caught anybody practicing on their own. I had to beg Marcela’s future HS coach to let us use her MS field and I don’t think he would have let us if he didn’t know who she was already. For now that is fine for my young sons but I have no idea what we will do when they move to a bigger diamond as the situation is just as bad for baseball. When I was growing up no public parks had locks on them.

Our town has 5 town fields plus 3 school fields. I take my kid to the town fields all the time, never had a cop kick me off, even though technically we’d need a permit or pay a fee to be on it. I also always bring a rake and leave it better than we found it.

 

[_MIA_]

Our town has 5 town fields plus 3 school fields. I take my kid to the town fields all the time, never had a cop kick me off, even though technically we’d need a permit or pay a fee to be on it. I also always bring a rake and leave it better than we found it.

Nice.

 

[Dabears17]

That’s another thing, in a lot of places good luck finding any actual softball field that doesn’t have a lock on it. We used to use the PUBLIC park across from Marita Hynes until the local rec league changed to being run by somebody other than the town. They put locks on the field and said they would call the cops if they caught anybody practicing on their own. I had to beg Marcela’s future HS coach to let us use her MS field and I don’t think he would have let us if he didn’t know who she was already. For now that is fine for my young sons but I have no idea what we will do when they move to a bigger diamond as the situation is just as bad for baseball. When I was growing up no public parks had locks on them.

I don't get this. Is this the park that from google maps has 4 fields? A lot of schools restrict access to their fields, but public parks should be open to everyone when those with permits aren't using them. Do they rent the fields 24 hours a day? Does the town maintain and prep the field for them? There shouldn't be a problem with a parent wanting to practice with their kids, or their DD and a couple of her friends. As long as it isn't 7 or 8 of her friends wearing team gear, this doesn't make any sense to me.