(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Dear Elected Officials of Somerville,

As a parent of student athletes and a concerned citizen I wanted to share my frustration and disappointment with the lack of progress Somerville is making to address it’s severe large and medium sized athletic field shortage. The city is failing its athletes and citizens that need safe reliable athletic fields to play and lead healthy lifestyles.

This is admittedly “one person’s” view of the fields issue, but given that SYSL is the largest sports organization in the city, it is representative of the athletic field problem that ALL citizens face. Note, I am not a member of the SYSL board and thus I am free to speak truth to power. I believe SYSL leadership struggles to be candid about this crisis out of fear that somehow matters could be made worse. This is unquestionably the worst season ever field availability for the travel soccer program (8-18 year olds). For instance:

1. Our entire U16 and U18 programs plays ALL their games away because there are no fields to use in Somerville. Yes, that’s every single high school aged soccer player in the city must travel for ALL their games. For practice they use the tiny U10 field at Capuano thru 9:30 pm, which means they aren’t getting home from soccer practice till after 10 pm.
2. Our U14 program gets to use a durable and reliable turf field (Dilboy). Unfortunately, 4 teams have to practice simultaneously on a standard U14 field designed for 2 teams to scrimmage. These are adult sized teenagers; jamming 4 teams onto a single field for practice is unfair and unsafe. Those teams that weren’t able to get one of those only 2 practice timeslots at Dilboy were forced to use a natural grass field, which has been closed for 80% of the season so far.
3. Our U12 program doesn’t even have a U12 field to practice on…. Nope that doesn’t exist in Somerville! Tufts was kind enough to lend the city a grass field that has also been closed 80% so far this season (only five U12 practices are scheduled there weekly because the coaches need a reliable turf field). So most of the teams are forced to double-up and triple-up at the tiny U10 Capuano Field. Yes, this field is half the size of a normal U12 soccer field, and we force two (and sometimes three) U12 teams to practice on it simultaneously.) And because of scheduling limitations, the practices are shorter than recommended for this age group. Again, not fair, and definitely not safe.
4. Our U10 program gets to use the U10 Capuano turf field for most practices and all home games. Most of the U10 teams have to practice with two other teams (3 total) on this field, which means no scrimmages and dangerous overcrowding. The other practices are held at the basketball-court sized ESCS turf field. It wasn’t designed for this level of play, but at least it’s never closed for weather.
5. Prediction: SYSL travel teams will be forced to forfeit games because they don’t have access to fields to play previously scheduled home games. I’m am aware of several towns that have filed protests against Somerville’s last-minute game rescheduling which wreaks havoc across the entire Middlesex league. It’s like playing “musical chairs” with the limited field space that we have. Except when the music stops our kids have to forfeit and go home. Shameful.

Many of us in Somerville pride ourselves on our grit and ability to do more with less. But these conditions are completely unacceptable and not consistent with the values and aspirations of our great city. I am pleading with you to get serious about making more safe and reliable athletic fields available for our youth and active adult citizens. The Master Fields Plan was a thoughtful, impressive, and ambitious effort to address our city’s field limitations. Unfortunately, NONE of the solutions proposed for large and medium fields have progressed (most are no longer even viable). Somerville athletes are being severely disadvantaged every day.

We are better than this … Please help.

I am available to work with anyone interested in helping solve this problem.

Sincerely,

Jim Hanley
Somerville