Longtime East Bay girls softball league loses field it's been playing at for decades

NEWARK, Calif. (KGO) -- A longstanding league in the East Bay might not have a place to play in the spring.

"Save Newark Girls Softball" is the message these young athletes and their families are sharing.

For decades the league has been using fields at H.A. Snow Elementary School.

Since the school was shut down two years ago, the league has continued to use the site.

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But earlier this week, league administrator Andrew Patrick was informed by the district they can no longer play on the fields.

"The main reason it's too much of a liability to allow the public use of the school when there's not supposed to be anybody here," Patrick said.

The news means they have no place to play for the 2025 spring season -- and registration is supposed to be starting now.

The district has overseen cutting the grass, but the league has been in charge of infield maintenance. All that work will now stay with these fields.

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"So the option they gave us on Tuesday via email was that there is some space at another school in town. Unfortunately the quote that they gave us was $500,000 to build two fields, which would be half as many fields as we currently have," Patrick said.

On Friday evening, the Newark Unified School District sent ABC7 News this statement: The district has identified alternative shared land space at another school site, however neither the district nor the league has the funds to build new softball fields. We remain committed to finding a solution working with our families and community.

"There's other sports organizations in the city that are using the fields as well and not that we're trying to take anything away from them, but we feel like there should be a space for a league that's been empowering girls for so long," Patrick said.

Newark Girls Softball League has been in the community for nearly 50 years.

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Stephanie Ordorica enrolled her daughter three years ago.

"I think that she's become more confident. She has so many friends and even ourselves as parents, you know. We are a community and we're all friends outside of softball," Ordorica said.

During the Newark City Council meeting on Thursday, Patrick spoke during public comment, asking for help.

Mayor Michael Hannon addressed Patrick.

"As you can imagine, the city council is unfortunately unable to comment on things that are under the public comment section, but I will say this: we hear you loud and clear," Hannon said.

The city and the district plan to meet with the league on the 24th of this month to discuss options.