Kids turned away due to space limitations

With The Woodlands becoming an increasingly attractive destination for new residents, particularly those with families, the demand for youth activities and amenities is outpacing the supply. That predicament is forcing some youth sports leagues to turn away potential participants as their fields have become overcrowded.

As a result, The Woodlands Township has adopted a plan that will provide $1.5 million for facility improvements or construction over the next five years. Under that plan, the township is funding a $6.5 million project which includes the construction of five new soccer fields on Research Forest Drive adjacent to the Research Forest Park and Ride.

"We are trying to identify where we can get the most out of the township dollar, the most uses and types of use," said Chris Nunes, township director of parks and recreation.

At its May 23 meeting, the township voted to spend $50,000 to conduct a feasability study for installing synthetic turf at the fields, as well as for improved lighting at Creekwood Park and Harper's Landing Park.

Role of leagues

Most local athletic leagues have their own facilities and take care of any maintenance, but the Montgomery County Youth Soccer Club, best known as Texas Rush, leases its fields from the township, which in turn takes care of the field maintenance, said Simon Boddison, the club's director of soccer operations.

The club obtains most of its funding through registration fees, with the rest coming from a combination of corporate sponsorships and tournaments. Boddison said because of the club's size — about 2,300 players and counting — there has always been an issue with lack of space available for teams to practice.

Jessica Lemmons, president of Oak Ridge Woodlands Area Little League, or ORWALL, the second-largest little league in the country, has requested township funding to help build more fields. ORWALL has 10 fields for the 1,800 kids who play. The league has already received bids for $400,000 to develop two fields.

"We have land, and [the township has] money," Lemmons said. "I understand that they don't want to be unfair, but I don't know anyone else who is shovel-ready."

ORWALL board member Steve Chauffe said the league was forced to turn away 300 kids this year because of space limitations. Chauffe said the two new fields would handle the league's immediate needs.

County involvement

Rob Shearer would like access to more fields for the South County Football League, where he is president. The football league's funding primarily comes through fees and camps. The league mainly plays on four full-size football fields at Gullo Park, which is outside the township boundaries.

Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance said the county typically budgets about $100,000 for sports leagues, but how the money is distributed depends on need and the project. Chance said typically those projects are typically only $30,000 or $40,000 each.

Shearer said SCFL is growing at about 10 to 15 percent each year.

"The parks are great, but as we grow and The Woodlands has grown, it has become harder for us to find places to practice," he said. "There is a huge demand for space from all of the sports leagues."

Shearer has had to turn away a small group of participants already because of space constraints.

Fees increase

The same lack of space has caused Mike Littrell, president of the South Montgomery Girls Softball League, to spend $3,100 —a first for the league—to rent two softball fields at Alden Bridge Sports Park in The Woodlands in order to accommodate the league's 10 teams.

SMGSL does not receive funding from the county or the township, generating its funding through sponsorships and registration fees. As a result, Littrell said the league's registration fee of $195 is as much as three times as high as nearby leagues in Spring and Conroe.

"We can't raise the fees anymore or we will lose girls," he says.

Littrell wants SMGSL to host national tournaments, but the league needs 10 fields, more than the six he already has.

"It's tough for us, for girls organizations," Littrell said. "It's going to be hard to expand without the help."