BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — The East Boynton Beach Little League is at odds with the city of Boynton Beach after they claim the town shut down access to its largest field two weeks before opening day.
The organization said they're left scrambling to find backup plans for players and teams impacted.
The players, parents and coaches arrived Monday morning at the East Boynton Beach Little League (EBBLL) facility for practice and were greeted with fences blocking their entrance.
Filled with emotions, the organization turned to social media for answers to the lockout.
According to a post on the East Boynton Beach Little League Facebook page, they claimed the following:
"Last year, we were informed that a third party intended to take control of Field 1 during our Little League off-season for the construction of a facility owned by an external entity. Despite the initially scheduled construction period passing without any action, we recently discovered that the city has decided to begin amid EBBLL's 2024 season. This development leaves the league without a viable alternative space for our Tball and Senior programs."
"While many Little Leagues are dying, and Little Leagues are going under, ours is blooming," John Ready, parent, coach and Little League board member, said. "Every season, our numbers get greater and greater. With those bigger numbers, come more field space."
Ready told WPTV that the East Boynton Beach Little League facility currently holds four baseball fields for 400 players from Tee Ball to Senior League.
Field One, which is currently fenced off, is the most important field to the organization because it's the biggest field that hosts most games and opening day festivities.
"This easily affects at least 100 or more of those individuals as well as their families," Ready said. "Your kid is in another division, and now you have to find yourself splitting going between this kid's field at this time or going to this field at this time."
The city of Boynton Beach said they want to help grow the game of baseball in the town and do not plan to tear down the field and fear everything is a big miscommunication.
A spokesperson for the city sent WPTV the following statement:
"Field One is closed for maintenance and upgrades, including new dugouts, fencing, synthetic turf and backstop netting. This is the start of a planned, phased project about which the city and East Boynton Beach Little League have been communicating for months. City staff has met with East Boynton Beach Little League board members throughout the planning process and helped secure alternative field space at other parks to lessen the disruption to the season."
Ready claims the city has yet to tell him and the EBBLL anything.
"If there is a plan, they're not telling us," Ready said. "We've been asking for months and months since this all started."
The city responded to his claim by saying the following:
"East Boynton Beach Little League officials have not kept Little League families updated throughout the process. Our goals are the same — to provide the best youth sports experience we can for the children of Boynton Beach."
East Boynton Beach Little League said they've needed more communication with the city and believe this is the worst possible timing since the season is scheduled to kick off in two weeks.