At Roy Campbell Burroughs Park in Tomball, it has been the place for softball players to sharpen their skills for decades.
But Coach Mark Shanks says he just got word things are changing.
“They are going to convert them into for-profit baseball fields. We have until Dec. 1st to move all of our stuff and get off the fields,” he said.
Shanks coaches the Texas Peppers. They practice at the Harris County Pct. 3 location along with other softball teams.
“We’re a nonprofit. We put all our money right back into the fields,” said Shanks.
“There are 10 teams out here along with the little baseball academy,” he added.
That means a lot of young players could lose their season.
“Probably about 150 in the 10 teams that practice out of here weekly,” said Shanks.
“We don’t have anywhere to go,” he added.
Amery Reid, Director of Communications for Harris County Pct. 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, said softball is not going away. She sent KPRC 2 the following statement:
“Our goal is to ensure maximum use of our facilities to effectively serve the public. We’ve opted to begin a new agreement with a more robust league that plans to transform two softball in-fields into AstroTurf. This will allow for the community to play both softball and baseball, as well as allow children with ADA needs to also participate in and enjoy the sports.”
But, with his team’s season in full swing, Coach Shanks says this curveball could take his team out.
“It’s kind of difficult to tell these young ladies that the organization that they’ve put all of this sweat and hard work into could potentially just dissolve,” he said.
“Young ladies are getting jacked around all the time, it’s already hard enough for them just in life, and now we are going to rip the rug right out from underneath them,” he added.
Coach Shanks said 100% of the girls who play for the Texas Peppers have earned the opportunity to play college softball, so the move by the county could cost the team some college scholarships.