Sports Facilities for Girls

Re “Girls’ League Sues to Level Playing Field in West Hills,” April 17.

In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, my wife and I spent several years as coach and manager in the West Valley Girls Softball League. In those days we played on the fields at Sutter Junior High School. We didn’t have to take care of the fields; the school district did it for us.

For our season opening and closing games we rented one of the local Little League fields. They were terrific. We had cinder base paths, screened bleachers, dugouts, snack bars and outfield fences.

Before the game, coaches had to arrive hours early to prepare the fields. We did not have to mow the grass. The Little League fathers had kindly done that for us. But we had to drag the infield, chalk the base lines, plant the pitching rubber, bases and home plate. And when the day was done, we had to clean up and water the grass. It was an incredible amount of work.

The Little League parents had to do all of this and more every week: plant and maintain the grass, come to the field after work and water it, paint bleachers and out-buildings, and finance and build all of the facilities. Those marvelous playing fields were not built by the county, but by the sweat and money of the parents of players.

The girls’ softball league could have the same facilities. But the sad truth is that there are too few parents willing to devote the time, effort and money to do for their daughters what they do for their sons.

The ACLU is right. The girls do not have the same facilities and advantages as the boys. But they have named the wrong defendant in their lawsuit. They should be suing the parents who are unwilling to give their daughters the same devotion and attention that they give to their sons.

DARRYL O. DICKEY, Reseda

*

There is enough room in the West Valley, not only for girls softball, but for all youth sports. The only problem is political interference. The Chatsworth Reservoir has over 1,300 acres. Councilman [Hal] Bernson has stubbornly refused to allow the usage of any portion of the land. He will not even consider commissioning an environmental impact report. The land should be used for youth sports. All it takes is political courage. Do the right thing. Do the report. Support the children of our community.

HOWARD GREITZER, AYSO Commissioner, Region 71, Woodland Hills