THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 8, 1994 TAG: 9407060096
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: By GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
IT'S BEEN A CASE of survival for Western Branch Little League girls fast-pitch softball.
Some 150 girls have played this season, the league's first in Chesapeake, and the league will have its first all-star tournament beginning Saturday. Tournament games will be at the Bennetts Creek complex, which is behind Driver Elementary School in Suffolk.
The newly formed Western Branch group opened its inaugural season April 9, but had to cut the campaign short, according to league president Ron Snipes.
Snipes said the girls began by playing at the Western Branch High School softball fields on Monday and Thursday evenings and Saturdays. But then, those fields were taken over by Chesapeake's recreational softball program, which began on May 23.
``We played a game in Churchland on Sunday (May 22),'' said Snipes. ``For the rest of the season, we went there (Churchland) or Bennetts Creek.
``One time we even leased a field over at the Coast Guard Base in Portsmouth. It looks like we won't have a place for our girls to play in Chesapeake.''
Not exactly, according to Bob Clifton, Parks and Recreation coordinator for the city.
``Mr. Snipes and his league can use the fields on Sundays,'' Clifton said.
The playing field shortage is part of a city-wide recreation bugaboo: so many teams, so many players, not enough room.
Snipes knows his problem isn't unique and he doesn't take it personally. There have been similar conflicts involving municipal playing field access in Florida and elsewhere and some of the conflicts have moved from the field to the courtroom.
Naturally, the league president has strong convictions about his fast-pitch program.
``I don't want to sound negative,'' Snipes emphasized. ``But I do think our league offers these girls something they can't find anywhere else.
``And another thing . . . lots of people worked real hard to bring this league to our girls in Western Branch. Lots of doughnuts were sold to raise money for uniforms.
``And we've raised a lot of money recently, selling hot dogs. We even offered to upgrade the field, the concession stands, everything.''
Snipes' league provides fast-pitch softball for girls while Pony League baseball and the city recreational leagues offer slow-pitch softball and baseball for girls.
The softball fields at Western Branch are used by the school teams, the city league and Pony League Baseball under the direction of Western Branch Athletic Club.
``In past years, our Little League players from Chesapeake played at Olive Branch (in Portsmouth),'' said Snipes. ``We re-chartered to play in Chesapeake. Now it looks like we're not going to have a home field to play on, again.''
City officials have maintained a consistent stance in this situation, as well as others in the playing field access debate. They say existing programs - Pony League baseball, for example - and city-wide services (their own Parks and Recreation offerings) must come first, before additional field use can be undertaken.
Clifton has dealt with dissatisfied athletic officials before. There have been disputes in Great Bridge between Pony League and the new Little League.
Pony League has existed for 30 years in Great Bridge and a Little League program was chartered late in 1993.
That is part of the problem, maintained Clifton.
``Mr. Snipes and Mr. (Steve) Haywood (Great Bridge Little League) came to us just before the season started to request use,'' Clifton said. ``We have no problem with their using the fields, if there were enough fields to use.''
Clifton reiterated the city's intention to address the playing field crunch once the current baseball/softball seasons end.
``We can't promise anything, but will evaluate use and other factors,'' Clifton said.
Snipes seems to understand and emphasized that he supports other programs in his Western Branch neighborhood. Snipes said he is active in slow-pitch girls softball and boys baseball, as well as his participation in the newly-formed fast-pitch girls softball.
``I don't want to sound negative,'' Snipes said. ``It's just that this was our first season of fast-pitch softball for Chesapeake girls in Chesapeake.
``Now, it looks like we're right back where we were before. I don't know if things are going to change.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Western Branch Little League president Ron Snipes chalks the
softball field with his children Nicholas, 6, and Anna, 8.
by CNB