Ball Players, Families Pitch in at Newark Memorial

As Newark baseball and softball teams get ready for the 2011 season, young ball players, parents, coaches and community members cleaned up the baseball fields at over the weekend.

Volunteers said they found out about the cleaning efforts by word of mouth.  Word of Sunday’s grassroots volunteer event spread from parent meetings for student athletes to phone calls from Newark National Little League managers.

Newark Memorial parents Marina and Francisco Martinez brought their own rakes and their dog, Scrappy, to the clean-up.

“We just want to get involved with stuff that our son is involved with,” Marina Martinez said.

Her son, Francisco, is a Newark Memorial senior and baseball player.

“We give back when we can,” said Martinez.

According to Newark National manager Joe Pereira, players’ families felt like they could give back to the community and campus by weeding the fields and picking up trash.

“I cleaned up about four inches of seeds and debris under the bleachers,” Pereira said.

Newark National will host its ceremony at Newark Memorial Saturday with the first pitch thrown by KTVU Channel 2 Traffic Reporter Sal Castaneda.

“We want our kids playing in a healthy, safe environment,” Pereira said. “With the budget cuts, it’s not going to get any better. It’s tough for athletic programs without community support.”

Volunteers say Newark groundskeeper Scott Pace has been a major part of that community support.

“I always want to volunteer,” Pace said. "I don't ask for a dime."

Pace’s sons played with the Cougars baseball team years ago. Now, he says, he’s happy to apply his experience with maintaining the fields at and to the baseball fields used by school and Little League teams.

“On Saturdays, I’ll work from dusk to dawn,” Pace said. “As a Vietnam veteran, this is therapy for me.”

Varsity softball coach Rachel Kahoalii helped her players soak up the puddles on the field.

“This is a good thing for the girls, to work and take pride and ownership in these fields,” Kahoalii said. “This is our field and we want to take care of it.”