Baseball team concerned for future after they are charged soaring cost to use once free field
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Young baseball players in Gloucester County are worried about the future of their team, as they are now being charged an exorbitant amount of money to use a field that was once free.
The team, the South Jersey Braves, braved Wednesday night’s heat for a scrimmage between its 9U and 10U teams. But, they are playing on a Glassboro field, instead of a Monroe Township field, where they are based.
Head Coach of the 13U SJ Braves, Chuck Mauriello, stated, "They are involved in everything sports in the town of Monroe."
The coaches say they paid $40 to use the field Wednesday, which is what they’ve been doing recently in a deal with surrounding towns, after they say their town gave them the unexpected news about a month ago.
The coaches said for 10 years, the traveling baseball and softball organization has used the fields in their township for free. The township is now set to charge fees.
"We were told we have to pay $150 an hour to use the fields we’ve been using for lights and $100 an hour to use the fields without lights," Mauriello explained.
They say the reason they’re now being charged is due to a residency requirement.
Head Coach of 9U SJ Braves, Steve Kohri, stated, "Just this year, we were told that since we are not 100 percent Monroe residents playing on our team, which we are about 70 percent, that we now have to pay."
The coaches, teams and their families attended a Monroe Township meeting to express their frustration during public comment. Mayor Greg Wolfe says the town is just enforcing an existing sports advisory handbook and ordinance drawn up by the President of Sports Organizations more than a decade ago.
Wolfe says the town has to be fair to all sports organizations. The town also has Little League, but the SJ Braves say they offer a more elite level of baseball.
"The parents or the players want to play at a higher level, well there is a cost for that because they are not recognized in the sport advisory handbook," Mayor Wolfe stated.