Town Council: Franklin Recreational Advisory Board

From the Town Council meeting, Weds May 5th, reported via the video on demand archive

Present: Kelly, Jones, Vallee, Mason, Pfeffer, Zollo, Powderly
Absent: Whalen, McGann


Recreational Advisory Board
coordinates the activities of the various youth sports across Franklin
to ensure quality fields are available for safe play across the sports


1 - Youth Lacrosse
http://www.franklinlax.com/

highest enrollment this year, over 200 signed up
funded entirely by registration fees
donated lacrosse sets to Beaver Pond, Charter School, and Horace Mann fields
coordinate coaching and training with FHS lacrosse players

2 - Youth Soccer
http://www.franklinyouthsoccer.org/

enrollment for spring about 1200, fall enrollment 1500
seven members on the Board of Directors
award $1,000 scholarships to male and female seniors for contributions to the program
soccer cleet exchange program
shared costs with other programs to repair fields; Dacey, Meadowlark, Remington
donated new nets
funded an Eagle Scout project at Dacey
funded repairs at King St fields
all field repairs were coordinated with Franklin DPW
Remington is scheduled to be fixed this fall, to be shut down for play for a year to allow for growth

3 - Youth Football
http://www.franklinyouthfootball.org/

about 340 signed up now for the Fall season, with growth in the number expected to grow as the season approaches
working to get additional lights at the FHS/Horace Mann fields to add another field with lights
provide scholarships to graduating seniors
provide scholarships for families to help pay for their registrations
established Franklin Chargers charity to collect food for the Franklin Food Pantry
coordinate football clinic with Coach Sidwell at FHS
winning isn't everything, we teach
32 students graduating from FHS were all Franklin Chargers and recruited by higher institutions

4 - Youth Softball
http://www.fgsafastpitch.org/

about 650-700 girls from kindergarten through 9th grade, playing from April to end of July
supported totally by volunteers, over 220 people contribute to the execution of the program
2nd largest program in the State of MA
work closely with the Franklin DPW and the other groups
league wide clean up day, over 100 cleaned, raking leaves, etc.
installed two outfield fences, etc at Dennis Pisani Field (off Peck St)
clinics coordinated with FHS
a regional sponsor of the Pepsi Run/Pitch/Hit competition this year
award two scholarships each year to graduating FHS seniors
the scholarships will be renamed in 2011 to honor Kristin Graci


5 - Youth Baseball
http://www.franklinyouthbaseball.com/

program began in 1953; over 1,110 in the program this season
275 coaches for the spring, another 60 coach in the summer
can't drive by a field without seeing some kids playing, especially at this time of the year
new Parks and Recreation Dept can focus on preparing the fields in the spring
invested over $100,000 over the last three years; time and materials for field repair
the field property in Franklin needs to be kept up to avoid injuries
invested in tarps to help with the rain control so the fields don't get washed out
expenses shared with other sports, fields are used by multiple groups

"We appreciate having the space to play, we are doing our part to keep the kids on the fields and stay healthy"

Pfeffer - question to clarify on co-ed status
the programs are mostly co-ed

Zollo - I'll confirm that they are co-ed, my daughters have played multiple sports
what is the single thing the Town can do to help
Ecker - What you are doing now is what is needed with the combined
maintain the fields, let the fields breath every once in a while
otherwise, the fields end up in dirt and rocks
as long as they cut the grass and empty the trash cans
you could always have fields, we are investing in the old Putnam field, about $3,000 on the baseball field
there is space there to also put a soccer area on the Putnam space, this helps to take another field offline to rest and recover; Davis Thayer is one that needs to be rested soon
If you ever need votes, there is a good bunch of folks across the groups

Vallee - thank you, I am amazed at all the work that is done

Jones - my daughters have played soccer, it is well run, the kids enjoy themselves and look forward to the new season, thank you for all you do

Franklin, MA