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Natchez needs place for softball
Published Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Softball is my passion. My mom and dad played in the Natchez City League, and I grew up playing in Natchez and Vidalia. Both of my girls currently play in the city leagues of Natchez, Vidalia and Ferriday and at Trinity. For as long as I can remember, I have gone to the “ballpark” at least three nights a week, starting in April and ending in September.
My summers as a teenager were filled with 8-10 tournaments. I’ve been all over the South playing in tournaments in sizes from 10 teams to 50 teams. The cities and towns we visited were no different than Natchez, except they had a softball complex where we could play.
I know, those of you who don’t play or attend games at the fields here are saying, “Well, Natchez has a complex, and it is right out behind Natchez High.” In fact, you are partially correct. There are three fields, a few bleachers, a press box and small concession stand, but the fields are three different sizes with different base line lengths, pitching mound lengths, limited parking, etc.
In order to host a successful tournament for a specific age group, the very first priority is to have at least four usable fields in the same location. That, we do not have. Not to mention, the continuous plumbing problems we have at those fields.
Softball is big business! Girls start playing competitively at age 7. We attended a tee-ball regional tournament when Shelby was 5. My brother and I still travel in the summer playing adult co-ed tournaments. The business is there! We just need facilities capable of hosting these tournaments.
I would also like to point out the economic impact that one girl’s tournament could have on our city. Let’s say there are 10 teams in a 10-year-old and under tournament, and each team has 13 players. That adds up to 130 participants. Each player will bring 1 or 2 parents with her. Therefore, 130 participants would bring approximately 195 visitors to Natchez. A generic formula for calculating economic impact is the number of people multiplied by the number of days multiplied by $180 spent per day. Most tournaments require you to stay two nights, so 195 people x 2 days x $180 spent per day = $70,200 from just one girl’s softball tournament.
Over the course of a summer, Natchez could easily host 10-14 tournaments.
On Nov. 3, there will be a non-binding referendum on the ballot that simply asks if you would like upgraded sports facilities in our community. My passion is softball, but the recreation plan includes a much needed public pool, softball and baseball fields, new tennis courts and soccer fields, and improvements at the golf course, picnic and playground areas.
I ask you to vote “yes,” which will give our community leaders the “go ahead” to build our children the best facilities possible. Vote “yes,” so Natchez can be a part hosting tournaments in every sport. Vote “yes,” for our children. Vote “yes,” for our local businesses. Vote “yes,” for our future!
Leigh Anne Mason is a Natchez resident.
My name is Ashton Mason. I’m 14 and love, love, love to play softball! It would be great to have new fields and other facilities where we can play tournaments and have a bigger better league here in Natchez.
My friends and I rely on softball for something to do in the spring, summer and into the fall. My school team went to Winnsboro, La., a much smaller town than Natchez, to play a tournament there simply because of its facilities. It would be so much fun to have annual softball and baseball tournaments here in Natchez.
Furthermore, I am always looking for new sports to play and soccer, the fastest growing sport in the nation, sounds like it would be fun and exciting! By voting “yes” on Nov. 3, you are opening new doors for me and my friends to play a new sport.
I have seen girls and boys change because of the games of baseball and softball. It gives one a sense of pride and accomplishment. It also teaches discipline and teamwork.
Our current softball, baseball and soccer fields aren’t getting the job done. I ask you to vote “yes” to the Natchez recreation referendum so the youth of Natchez can try new sports, play the ones they love, learn valuable skills, develop good qualities and build excellent character.
Ashton Mason is a Natchez resident.
I love softball, and I want to be a professional softball player when I grow up. To have new fields to play on would be really great for me and my friends.
Shelby Mason is a Natchez resident.
Comments
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on October 27, 2009 at 12:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I like to play croquet on ponies and there is simply no place around here to do it! I understand what you softball players are going through.
Posted by Crakalakin (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 6:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They have professional softball? I wanted to be a pro BMX racer when I grew up but the stupid city wouldn't build me a track. ;)
Posted by pronat (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 7:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Crakalakin, you should have come to the forum, a bike track was mentioned. There is many activities involved in this that have been mentioned. It will all be up to the 9 member board that will be appointed. I hope they find about 3 million stimulus money, 1 million state money and add in the committed 5.4 from adams county and a complex be built that is 2nd to none and will shame all other communities in the area and put Natchez back on top again.
Posted by grungebob (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 8:30 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
grungebob, concerning --> "you are children (or so we are to believe)"
Are you prone to believing in conspiracy theories? I take it that you do not know Leigh Anne. These are real people trying to sway your vote (assuming you vote locally) on the recreational complex.
Posted by Crakalakin (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bread and circuses. Most places in the country are trying to figure out how to put people to work, we are concentrating on softball, soccer (oh jeez) and golf while our kids graduate, if they do, in about the 40th percentile.
What is Natchez' problem again? A complete and total lack of priorities? Enjoy your recreation complex.
Posted by grungebob (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just questioning the authorship, OGD. Regardless, let the little darlings try to sway my vote when they are old enough to vote themselves - and pay taxes. In the meantime, let them save their wish list for Santa. Seen but not heard still applies, especially in an op-ed page.
Posted by NatchezObserver (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Grungebob, Leigh Anne is an adult. Ashton and Shelby are her daughters. Perhaps while they work on their creative writing, you can work on your reading comprehension.
Posted by grungebob (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 12:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I condescend just fine, thank you.
Posted by Sinbad (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks Leigh Ann and girls for being willing to express your views knowing that there would be those on here ready to ridicule you for your views. As usual, those that don't agree with you have to resort to being nasty to try to get their way. Hopefully the undecided voters will read these posts and realize that those if favor have been nothing but positive and up beat, yet those opposed have been, for the most part, nasty and condescending. Who would you want leading the way to the future of our communtity?
Please vote YES!!!!
Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
grungebob, concerning --> "I condescend just fine, thank you".
Yes, sometimes we all do. But most of us do it with the adults and spare the kids. You're getting as bad as a state employee.
:)
Posted by chsmom (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great article LeeAnn , Ashton & Shelby. I just wish some of the readers had as much common sense as the girls!
Natchez does need the recreation bill passed. The future of Natchez depends on our children. They need reasons to stay here. Yes, jobs should be the most important issue, but if there is nothing for the families then you'd only end up with people like some of the readers that posted on here!
Posted by grungebob (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 1:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm sorry, I think using her children to amplify her views is manipulative. What else are they supposed to believe but what their mother tells them?
And her focus is a tad narrow. She and her kids want to play competitive softball and damn the cost and consequences.
Well, I want a Nordic ski jump so we can attract the Winter Olympics. Maybe.
Posted by purecountry (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like to me that "grungebob" woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Everytime I read a blog on you its nothing but negative remarks. I personally know Leigh Ann and a relative of mine, her family and mine grew up playing ball since we were kids. Don't mess up a child's dream or their goal that they want to accomplish. We had the girls softball fields way behind Duncan park (which is now the Golf course). Thats all we had. Sounds like you need to apologize to those little girls. They didn't ask for your negativity....just your vote(which is either YES or NO) Simple as that!
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 2:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well written, passionate, there are a lot of young ladies that love softball, no doubt about that. Personally I don't see how they get much out of standing around out in a ballfield, but that's just me. But perhaps all that practice should help these ladies stay healthy and fit.....
that's great
...When people look to move to establish a new home they are looking at: 1)employment 2) housing within their budget 3) shopping alternatives 4) recreational opportunities 5) proximity to relatives 6) healthcare ....... at least that's the way I looked at it whenever I moved around earlier in life.....
kids need recreational facilities for the same reason... to stay out of trouble and develop a positive outlook....
what will be the cost to us if we do not have the guts to take a certain amount of risk on this complex??? Continued obesity amongst our children? Sedentary Lifestyles that lead to increased healthcare costs? Opportunity Cost of missing the opportunity to build our economy via sports tourism (hey, I claim that terminology - sports tourism - that's cool huh?) Creating an environment within the community that builds optimism and enthusiasm? Sports tourists will visit hotels, stay 1-3 nights, visit restaurants, crowd up the streets (oh well, one slight drawback here) drop some change around to stimulate the economy a bit....
I will vote YES....
Ponies!! isn't there a county equestrian arena currently available? Isn't that included in the complex, don't give up Enkikur, they'll build you one......
One myth going around is that if we don't do this now, the idea of a sports complex will disappear and we'll never talk about this again, I find that amusing...... there is no timeline on initiating this project....but the sooner the better.
I'm just glad to hear that Adams Co has the resources to get this project financed and to hear my Supervisor tell me that WITH ALL HIS HEART he will do everything in his power to keep this project from affecting our taxes...I believe Mike Lazarus when he tells me that.
You know life is about relationships and trust, if you don't have that, you are a lost soul....sports can help our kids learn that.
Posted by grungebob (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 4 p.m. (Suggest removal)
When you put your kids on the firing line you risk having them shot at. Besides, the girls didn't write the letter, her mother did. And the emotional argument that we should not deprive our children diverts attention form the real issues and problems with this entirely speculative venture.
Apparently it has worked. My congratulations to Mrs Mason on redirecting the debate.
Posted by tiredoflosers (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe NO POLITICAL LIAR-I mean elected offical.
Posted by LA (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 11:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I sat quietly and let my friends and supporters of the recreation sportsplex deal with the idiot that calls himself grungebob.....but to say that I wrote their letters is drawing the line. Did I ask them to, yes? Were they forced to NO! I am sorry that my children do have the intelligence and ability to form sentences that perhaps surprises you GB! Listen to us on the radio tomorrow, 8:10 on 95.1. Heck, call in, maybe we can ruffle your feathers a little bit more. The girls and I are like many families in Natchez, believe it or not, that devote a lot to athletics.
Thanks to most of you for the kind words and support. GB--guess where you can go!
Posted by natchezriver (anonymous) on October 29, 2009 at 1:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Leigh Anne, no one represents our community better on this issue than you and your children. Don't let a few negative people lead our future in the wrong direction.
Keep up the good work.
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