Great Day at the Ballpark!

I was invited to participate in the Opening Day festivities at the Southwest Sports Complex in District 1 Saturday morning.  We were celebrating the 2024 season of youth baseball, t-ball, and wee-ball at the park.

We were also cutting the ribbon on a newly-constructed all-weather, covered batting cage that the county built for the park.

It was a great day.  Lots of happy families, excited players, and extended families celebrating the season's start.

There are more than 300 players signed up, and the park was packed for opening day.  It was great.

Thanks to PBYSA, the volunteers, and the FAMILIES----- for the invite and for all they all do to provide a place for these youth to hone their skills in baseball.  And fellowship.  And leadership.  And socialization.  And the leadership building they are fostering.

(I was also asked to throw out the first pitch which I did.  I didn't bounce it, but my pitch was high and outside, LOL.)

An interesting side conversation I had was enlightening:  "These parks are getting CRUSHED by the utility bills to keep the lights on" said an official familiar with the operations at the SW Sports Complex and PBYSA.  

"3 years ago, our yearly light bill was about $22,000 a year.  Now, it has tripled.  It is $66,000 a year.  and it is killing us." Said this individual.   "Thankfully, we have the travel baseball teams and the tournament promoters who bring tournaments and collect fees which they pay us---otherwise we couldn't afford to keep this afloat"  said this source.  "We couldn't do it without them!"

It is sad for me to hear that the utilities costs are killing some of these programs for kids.  As I walked through the park, it brought back memories of my sons playing baseball at NEP at John R. Jones Park.

But we didn't have the pressure back then that  these families have now.  

I hope they are able to hang in there and sustain these programs for these families and players---but things are changing.  We need to keep these programs in place for the players and the families!

Stories of Our Area's Re-opening Part II: Travel Ball and Youth Baseball Tournaments Coming to Escambia's District 1

Youth Baseball leagues and tournaments will be starting soon in Florida, with Governor DeSantis' executive order from Friday removing restrictions on such activities.  Some parents want these tournaments to resume--but some remain concerned about safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  Here below are two perspectives on this topic.....

This past Friday Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order  lifting the limitations and restrictions on youth sports and leagues.

Not surprisingly, youth baseball tournaments will begin again soon----- and one has already been scheduled for June 10th at District 1's Southwest Sports Complex on Bauer Road.

A part of me is extremely happy to see our youth begin to compete again--albeit with commonsense restrictions and stipulations that mirror CDC guidelines and recommendations.  It will never again be as it was when all three of my children competed throughout the southeast in travel leagues and tournaments in soccer and baseball a decade ago.  It will, unfortunately, never be quite like that again I don't think.  But the governor believes we can start up youth activities again safely, as demonstrated by his EO.  I agree.

What was once a common, heartwarming sight on ball fields throughout America (prayer huddles like this one from 2012) prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic--- will sadly probably not be seen again anytime in the near future.  But youth baseball will be returning soon with some guidelines and social-distancing protocols in place.....

Nevertheless--- some parents remain very concerned about safety.  I understand their concerns but I also believe it is time to re-open.  We simply cannot stay in a perpetual lockdown forever.  Any parent that is concerned obviously maintains the right and the ability not to participate and not to have their own children participate.  I corresponded with just such a parent today.  His email is first, my response directly below.

"Commissioners Bergosh and Underhill :

A USSSA baseball tournament scheduled for June 10--14th to be held in Orange Beach, AL has been moved to Escambia County to be held at the SW Escambia Sportsplex.  This decision was made by the tournament director(Scott Mobley) in order to bypass Covid 19 regulations released by the Alabama Governor that would have forced him to postpone/cancel the tournament.  

This tournament has 49 teams registered from 11 different states ranging in ages of 9-13 years old.  This will be a huge event with well over 1,000 people all at 1 facility.  Frankly, I am disappointed that you would endorse/allow such an event to be held in Escambia County at that particular time.  Furthermore, comparing the Covid 19 Statistics in Baldwin County(269 Cases 8 Deaths) and Escambia County(734 Cases 24 Deaths) make your endorsement of such an event ridiculous and acting with a complete disregard for the well being of the children participating as well as the citizens of Escambia County.

Unfortunately, I know this decision or allowance is strictly financial.  Which again, is shocking considering most if not all: Lodging, Restaurant, Entertainment revenues generated by this event will be taken in by Baldwin County NOT Escambia County.  

I am simply asking that you please pause, truly think about how risky this event is at this particular time and you are providing a venue to possibly expose children and the citizens of Escambia County to a possible outbreak that is beyond unnecessary at this particular time.  

Money can be made at a later time, Revenue can be recovered at a later date, Human lives cannot.

By the way, I am a parent of a player on a team registered for this event.  I am also a public school educator and a coach. 

Do you want to be responsible for an outbreak in your area to exacerbate a problem like this???

Is MONEY and TAX REVENUE more important than the safety and well being of children??

Do the right thing.

Sincerely,

A concerned Father."

My Response

"Mr. XXXXXXXXX,

Like you I am concerned about safety—now more than ever.  But Governor DeSantis has been very meticulous and thoughtful in his reopening plan, and The Escambia BCC has followed this guidance.  His most recent executive order allows youth sports with some commonsense recommendations and stipulations.  I understand your concern, and if you feel it is not safe for you and your young child to participate—I would encourage you not to participate.

A couple of things to consider:  If the tournament is held here, I believe a significant portion of the players and families will stay in Escambia County in either Perdido Key or Pensacola Beach.  I know this because all three of my children played youth travel sports all over the Southeast---and we would always stay at the nearest “resort” type area within a short drive of the sports venue---as did the lion’s share of fellow players and families.  I have to assume that tendency has not abated.

As I study the data, trends, and numbers on this disease locally---I happen to believe that we have flattened the curve locally as it pertains to new positive cases and especially as it relates to hospitalizations and ventilator capacity-- and that our Governor has done an excellent job—balancing safety and the economy to come up with a plan that has worked and is working.  I say this because when compared to the draconian lockdown, shelter-in-place complete off-switch plans of states that are smaller than Florida (like New York and New Jersey)—where Governors there have pressed the pause button on life—our numbers here (deaths in particular) are much smaller in comparison—thankfully  (29,031 Deaths in New York, 11,082 Deaths in New Jersey, 2,233 Deaths if Florida) . Although we mourn every life lost and we pray for all the victims of this horrible plague with which we are contending----- Florida and leaders in Florida are doing it right or at a minimum much closer to “right” than are other states as illustrated above, so far as I can tell. 

And at some point we have to re-open.  We simply cannot let our country totally and completely devolve economically; otherwise, there will be nothing left to salvage when we overcome this horrible Wuhan Chinese Coronavirus—COVID-19 that has claimed nearly 100,000 lives in our country.  We will beat this virus, we will fully uncover the whole and accurate story of how this happened to us and who allowed this to happen, and those that contributed to this disaster will be held accountable.  This is what I believe. 

We are Americans, and we will overcome!

Sincerely,

Jeff Bergosh

Escambia Board of County Commissioners,

District 1"