Play Ball 2011

Nassau County Leagues return in 2011



Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums has confirmed their intent to recreate county sponsored and run leagues for baseball, softball and lacrosse. These leagues had been allowed to dissolve during the 8 years of the past administration. While we applaud this initiative of the current county administration we are concerned about some of the rhetoric accompanying this news. Statements that “we are taking back our ball fields”, “the private leagues will be working for the county” and “the private leagues will be gone” go beyond just offering Nassau county sportsmen and women an alternative to private leagues.



Nassau County must realize that it was the private leagues that filled the gap and provided park users continuous structured sports when the county failed to. The county should not become the school yard bully and chase off the private leagues. Rather they should provide a lower cost alternative to the pricier leagues and allow market forces to determine where a ballplayer signs up.



PARCnassau has spoken to some of the private leagues that would be affected. We found that some leagues that were begun by local athletic supply companies will gladly step aside from running sports to allow them to continue to equip sports. Those companies only organized leagues to keep their client base for their primary function, retail sales. Others are concerned that that they will be “shut out” of county ball fields, especially prime locations such as Mitchell Field and Eisenhower Park.



It is important that the parks department while giving public leagues priority in scheduling insure that the private leagues are offered the maximum remaining time possible and not shut them out either in perception or in reality. Give county residents intelligent choices. Offer more women’s sports, senior sports, disabled sports, etc. That will fill our parks and ball fields the right way and so will encouraging economical private leagues.



The county must also state their intentions concerning Flag Football, Soccer, Rugby, Cricket and all other sports using county athletic fields and administered by private leagues. All sports are too important to the health and well being of our taxpayers and deserve no less than the full, fair support of our county officials.