To many kids enrolled in Pinckneyville Park Baseball, the program is not merely a sport but a way of life. They come home from school, throw on their team gear, grab their gym bag and hop in the car to go practice or play a game.
But all that activity slid to a halt on March 17 when the Norcross Youth Baseball and Softball Association (NYBSA) suspended all games and practices at Pinckneyville Park and Collins Field to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Gwinnett County followed suit on March 22, closing its parks except for trails and open areas provided visitors adopt social distancing. The NYBSA has scheduled a meeting of its board of directors on April 5 to determine next steps regarding this year’s season schedule. In the meantime, practicing on any of the seven baseball and softball fields is prohibited.
Prior to the season suspension,
Pinckneyville Park Baseball had already held its draft, celebrated its opening
day for Spring 2020 and played into its second week. Reactions to the
interruption appear mixed. Gwinnett County City Manager and Pinckneyville Park Baseball Coach Brian Johnson noticed a wide range of emotions from parents, fellow coaches and
players involved in the program.
“There were a few parents, maybe
the day of (the season) being postponed or the day after, that felt that maybe
it was a bit early. In baseball you’re not as close, versus a sport like
basketball where you are all up into an opponent’s space and touching them a
lot. But as things have progressed, I don’t think any parent doesn’t think it
was a wise decision,” said Johnson.
Though health and safety prove
the major concern, player morale has certainly been affected.
“I know a ton of kids, my son
included, who were extremely upset when we told them the season would be
suspended indefinitely. Lots of the boys shed some tears because they love the
camaraderie, they love the challenge, they love the sport,” said Johnson.
Participants and supporters of
Pinckneyville Park Baseball are part of a unique approach to recreational
sports that may help foster a greater sense of community. The non-profit NYBSA
works in partnership with Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation to provide
organized sports.
“NYBSA was established in the
early 1960s to provide a recreational baseball and softball program and travel
baseball program for the youth of our community. The program strives to promote
the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical development of all program
participants through supervised competitive sports,” said NYBSA President Jason Pressman
The county owns and operates Pinckneyville Park, while NYBSA manages the everyday baseball and softball operations. Additionally, NYBSA owns & operates Collins Field at Dan Watts in Norcross.
“(The partnership) also contributes, because it is non-profit, to parental and personal involvement because I think more of the parents of kids on the teams invest their time as they see ‘We’re a part of the process, We get an opportunity to weigh in and influence things,’” said Johnson.
Currently about 600 participants make up the over 50 teams in the NYBSA baseball and softball programs. The age ranges and skill levels involved start at U-6 (under six) tee-ball and progress gradually in challenge level until Pony Level, with a maximum age of 14 years old. There are also an impressive number of all-star and traveling teams that play in tournaments locally and nationally.
Regarding how the Peachtree
Corners community can support the NYBSA and Pinckneyville Park Baseball,
Pressman urged residents to follow Coronavirus quarantine guidelines as
outlined by county, state and national officials. In an abundance of caution,
the NYBSA website discourages impromptu get-togethers of players and parents at
any of the fields it uses.
Pressman expressed gratitude for
the patience and understanding of the coaches, players, volunteers and fans, as
well as the entire NYBSA board for their leadership and guidance during these
challenging times.
The NYBSA will continue to monitor county, state and national recommendations and act accordingly. Pressman and the other NYBSA board members prepare to meet via teleconference on April 5.
Note: Since this story originally went to press the association has canceled the 2020 Recreational Baseball and Softball season.
