Lafayette approves major changes to baseball field to expand girls’ softball access

By CBS Bay Area

After hours of public comment during Lafayette’s City Council meeting on Monday night, city leaders unanimously approved making significant changes to one of its baseball fields.

The city owns four fields, of which Lafayette Little League had been leasing two fields for the past 21 years. With the expiration of the lease back in August, the Lafayette Moraga Youth Association (LMYA) had been fighting for access to one of the League’s fields: Chaney Field.

“Relieved and happy and thrilled for the girls in our community that the city council did the right thing and the lawful thing, and stood up for what’s right and equity to give these girls access to playing softball more in the city,” Rachel Leonard, the softball commissioner of the LMYA, told CBS News Bay Area.  

Currently, LMYA has access to one field that is softball-regulated.

“We too can share this home with Lafayette Little League as a place where we can all grow and learn to play our respective sports,” Leonard said.

Leonard oversees more than 300 athletes.

“Making this field accessible to girls’ softball means so much to all the little girls in the community that need more places to play and need more places to learn and grow,” she said.

Up until now, she said her athletes had practiced in schools and had access to one out of the four fields, Upper Community Field, owned by the city.

“We haven’t had a place to rally around like Lafayette Little League has had for so many years. And I am thrilled and overjoyed that our girls are being shown that their sports matter,” Leonard said.

And now, with significant changes coming to Chaney Field, Leonard said she and the association are looking forward to co-existing with the Lafayette Little League.

On Tuesday morning, the city had already begun making changes to the infield by digging up the grass to make way for a dirt and grass infield.

“Wow, I’m stunned,” Cat Lukach, the softball VP of the Lafayette Little League, told CBS News Bay Area.

“The city mobilizes this fast? Something doesn’t add up there,” she added.

Lukach stepped onto the field and reminisced about all the memories she and her family had made on the field thus far.

“I’m thinking of all the games that I’ve attended here. My son not only played but he umpires,” she said.

Lukach added that the league is frustrated, as they had proposed to help revamp Upper Community Field for softball, and to leave Chaney Field the way it is.

“We had parents that hung those, their own two hands. We fundraised to purchase those,” she said, motioning to the scoreboard. “We even had a fundraising night, raised $10,000 for future investments in girl softball fields.”

But now, with the city’s decision, Lukach will have to work with the city to split schedules with LMYA on the Chaney Field.

She added that she will be focusing her energy on their new softball team.

“We had an influx of registrations last night through softball, so I’m really excited to see there’s already enthusiasm garnering support for a stronger league for girl softball,” she said.

Lukach added that she also believes in equitable access to sports and is looking forward to developing her girls’ softball team.

“I want a league that matches the level of baseball through Lafayette Little League. Truly top-tier coaching and skill development.”

As for Leonard, she hopes that LMYA and the Lafayette Little League can work together and help youth excel in sports.

“This is not Lafayette Little League versus LMYA. This is about kids in our community having opportunities and girls have been having less opportunities to play their sports than the boys. And it is about letting all genders have opportunities in their respective sports,” Leonard said.

CBS News Bay Area reached out to the city for comment, and a spokesperson responded with a statement in part below:

“The City has worked closely with local sports user groups to ensure compliance with state law while balancing limited land, funding, and facility availability. Lafayette continues to face long-standing challenges stemming from a shortage of quality sports fields, a need first identified as the community’s top recreational priority in the 2009 Park Facilities Master Plan.”

 “Last night’s decision follows months of collaboration between the City, Little League and LMYA to address inequities in field access and to meet the community’s recreational needs. After receiving Council’s green light, City staff started removal of the grass infield at Chaney Field on Tuesday and scheduled contractors to come in to assist later in the week. The work is being done swiftly in order to take advantage of a break in the reservation schedule, as well as complete the project ahead of winter rains and before the start of the new softball and baseball season in the Spring.”

“Next, staff will work with the user groups to determine the appropriate new 70/30 infield mix and set a schedule to spread the material. Concurrently, all four fields at Buckeye Fields and Community Park are also being re-seeded and starting November 3 and will be closed through January.”