Ike Dodson/Sun Post

 

            The baseball fields at Valverde Park in Lathrop are normally a bustling frenzy of activity this time of the year, as Lathrop Little League players ages 9-to-16 take advantage of one of the oldest sports programs in city history.

            But barren dirt and construction equipment loiter Lathrop’s sports hotspot these days, the expected effects of a community development project that some say has forced Lathrop Little League into a nightmare season for the city’s only youth baseball program.

            City officials have met the league's demands, but some Lathrop parents say the damages have been done.

            The program's fields have been bulldozed, their games relocated and the older divisions of Lathrop Little League have nowhere to play.

            League Vice President Anthony Castro estimated that 50 to 60 kids have left the organization in the wake of the 2008 drama, a loss of around four or five baseball teams.

            The minor and major divisions teams have managed to play games at the Lathrop School Annex, but Castro said field dimensions at the new Mossdale Park have forced junior teams to play in Weston Ranch while the three big league teams are still without a field. The need for fields, and specific requests for power and lighting were brought before the council with a May 27 letter from league board member, Sabrina Nunes.

            The problems have been talked out in heated City Council meetings, where amid cheers and angry discussions, parents of Lathrop youth have fought for improvements to their program.

            But the nightmare season and the request for improvements at both Valverde and Mossdale Parks have not been ignored.

            City officials say that plans are in the works to address each need, and by 2009, Lathrop Little League should be looking at beautiful and up-scale fields to conduct their season.

            “The city’s intent is to respond to all concerns, not on just this subject, but to all general issues with parks and recreation while trying to be fiscally responsible,” city spokesman Mike Esau said in a conference call. “The city wants to accommodate everybody when they can afford to and when the requests are appropriate.”

            The city will have operating fields for all levels of Lathrop Little League by the start of the 2009 season, including modified fields at Mossdale that will provide a home for the program’s oldest divisions, according to Esau, Public Works Director Steve Salvatore and Parks Project Manager Nathan Houx.

            In addition, the city is expecting changes to Valverde Park in the coming weeks that will provide a power outlet to one of the major/minor fields for pitching machine use. Between the outlet, field modifications and the installment of conduits for future sports lighting at both parks, the city has responded to every demand requested in the May 27 letter from the league.

            For Castro, it’s a welcome response after issues he felt were ignored when the program first had problems with the fields.

            “We have been rattling the cages,” Castro said. “We found out about the problems in January and spoke to some people at first, thinking some changes would be made. Nothing was happening, so we as a Little League board decided to start coming to City Council meetings.”

            And the city listened; making major adjustments to the same community development that Lathrop officials say have been in the works for many months.

            “Change is occurring, and some people apparently are not happy with that or with the inconvenience of remodeling,” Esau said. “The entire project allows for all Little League Leaguers to play when it is completed by next season.

            “But this project allows for more kinds of activities to happen— not just Little League — by upgrading the facilities.”

            The Little League community is aware of the changes, with hopes for a smoother season in 2009 — though the list of demands have grown.

            “I would say that myself and the little league is happy with the way the city has responded to our needs on such a short notice.” Castro said. “I also feel that if we don’t bring up some other things like fencing and storage, the ball will be dropped again in the future.”