SRLL needs more space to play games

If you build it, they will come — but is anyone paying attention to the South Riverdale Little League’s (SRLL) needs?

The program has seen continual growth for years. It expects to enroll more than 400 youth ball players for the second season in a row, up from about 300 members four years ago, according to organizers.

But now there are so many players, it is hard to find a place for them to play, especially the pee-wee, tee-ball and softball leagues. Concern is growing with baseball season just around the corner.

“It’s more and more of a struggle to find playing field space for everybody and time for practices,” SRLL minors coach and parent Lorenzo Melendez said. “The city fields, we’re sharing them with PSAL and the like. It’s definitely gotten harder.”

Both SRLL President Peter Gauss and Vice President Patrick Kenny strongly rejected the suggestion of turning any players away from the league due to a lack of space or financial reasons.

That leaves organizers looking for creative solutions while they vie for space with PSAL, the David A. Stein Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy (RKA, M.S./H.S. 141) and men’s and women’s Kosher leagues. SRLL players and the others flock to south Riverdale sites like Seton Park, RKA and Henry Hudson Park. 

“If you come to the field on Saturday mornings, it’s covered,” said Lori Kenny, Mr. Kenny’s wife. “If you were flying in a helicopter and you look down, you would just see many, many, many, many little baseball players out there.”

Pee-wee and tee-ball coach Larry Chaifetz proposed timed field lights, saying they would allow for later games and give more players a chance to compete.

Mr. Melendez said he would love to see a new field built, but added, “that’s not a reality.”

Mr. Gauss and Mr. Kenny said they have discussed renovating Seton Park with local officials. Mr. Melendez said if plans go through, AstroTurf grounds could come to the site. 

That could take two to three years, organizers said.

In the meantime, they are considering sharing fields currently used by North Riverdale Little League (NRLL). Those include Kelly Field and sites at Van Cortlandt Park. A NRLL organizer did not immediately answer an interview request.

Organizers are cautiously optimistic that new options will open up.

“The only concern, and we haven’t run into that problem yet and one day I hope we do, is that we have too many kids and too many teams,” Mr. Kenny said. “But for some reason, it just seems like everything evens out in the end.”