‘Holding out hope’: Here’s what a spring sports season might look like in Fort Mill.
Coaches had just started handing out jerseys to Fort Mill youth sports teams this spring when COVID-19 went mainstream, ending large gatherings and putting hundreds of players in several sports on hold.
Despite regular stakeholder conversations since, recreation leaders aren’t certain of much more now than they were seven weeks ago.
“We’re still following all the executive orders,” said Brown Simpson, town parks and recreation director.
At a virtual parks and recreation committee meeting Friday afternoon, Simpson updated other town officials on options from short seasons to camps to modified play to refunds. Conversation covered the on hold spring season but also summer programming, fall sports and the reopening of public parks and playgrounds.
Those items and capital projects for recreation were to come up at another virtual meeting May 11 when Fort Mill Town Council met online. Councilwoman Lisa Cook, after two-and-a-half hours talking recreation Friday, acknowledged that in times of coronavirus nothing is certain.
“Half of what we’ve said today, especially with COVID, could change 10 times before Monday night,” she said.
Modified spring sports season
If Fort Mill is able to salvage a spring season, it could look drastically different than pre-coronavirus plans. Simpson recently surveyed parents of youth sports participants. He asked who would be willing to come back and play as soon as executive orders are lifted that limit group gatherings. He asked if parents would be willing to extend a season into June and July and if they’d like modified rules or schedules to get games in. Those schedules could include earlier starts and weekends.
All of those questions came back at just about a clear 50-50 split, Simpson told the committee Friday. The survey also asked if parents would be willing to limit spectators at youth games to one adult per child. More than 60% weren’t in favor of that.
If play resumes this spring, there won’t be playoffs for competitive leagues. All-star competition, which typically lasts into the summer and pits Fort Mill teams against municipal programs in the area and state, already are off the table. There’s discussion on possible rule changes to speed play, like three outs or three runs per half inning in baseball and softball.
“These are unprecedented times,” Simpson said.
Some of the spring league teams held only one practice before coronavirus. If play resumes, there would be a different feel given less preparation time.
“We’re not worried about wins and losses,” Simpson said.
Simpson said he’ll continue to monitor news from Gov. Henry McMaster to determine next steps. Simpson routinely meets with counterparts in Tega Cay, Rock Hill, Clover and York since teams often participate in the same leagues.
“Right now we’re just kind of in a hold,” Simpson said. “We’re always holding out hope.”
Camps, training and summer sports
Officials also have an eye toward a canceled season. If so, parents of players would have the option of a refund or fees put toward play in the fall. Councilman Jamie Shirey said there could be logistical hurdles to a modified short season.
“If we’re only going to have a 30-day window, I can’t see it worth starting up the whole league,” he said.
Discussion on Friday went to hosting camps, coach or referee training, events for smaller groups of players. Both virtual and in-person options were discussed. Mini-camps for youth could be an option once children forced inside for all these weeks are allowed out again.
“I know as a parent, it would give me a break,” Shirey said.
Cook said she doesn’t want whatever happens with the spring season to hurt a full sports comeback, hopefully in the fall. She talked possibilities like daytime skill camps. She understands communication with other municipalities, but said decisions have to be made in the town’s best interest.
“Every municipality is going to have different challenges coming out of this,” she said.
The town hosts many summer camps. For now all those camps are on schedule.
Parks and playgrounds
Coronavirus social distancing also shut down parks and playgrounds for the public outside organized sports. South Carolina has since opened state parks. The town doesn’t have all the details it needs yet on how to safely reopen its parks. Particularly when it comes to playgrounds.
“Playground equipment, it’s not always monitored all the time,” Simpson said, noting he’d need details like best cleaning procedures in light of the pandemic. “There’s a lot of touch with playgrounds. We’re still working on that.”
Future recreation additions
The council meeting Monday night also could bring up a variety of large items that pre-date COVID-19. Recreation possibilities range from master planned athletic parks to new turf on existing properties. Cook noted much of the conversation Friday was simply a vision for the town.
“It’s not saying any kind of commitment, whatsoever,” she said.
Simpson said in the next budget cycle he’ll request artificial turf at Calhoun Street Park. Just beside it at Walter Elisha Park, town manager Davy Broom said new playground is worth considering.
“Out of all of our parks, that playground equipment has the most age, the most use,” he said.
Plans are complete for Banks Athletic Park, set to replace the baseball fields the town will lose with redevelopment near the YMCA at the Complex. Banks Athletic Park will have ballfields, a scoring tower, restroom. There’s talk of an added basketball court. It will have a playground. Council will have an architect up for approval Monday night.
“Plans are pretty much ready to go,” Broom said. “This is a project that’s very close to beginning.”
YMCA at the Complex
Further out, there are upgrades at the YMCA at the Complex. The town already put about $475,000 in the boiler, HVAC and other improvements since the property was donated in 2017. Town leaders Friday discussed a recent concept plan for further growth at the Tom Hall Street site.
“It is not something that we have the funds right now to step out and do,” Cook said.
Options for phased growth include a new gym beyond the existing one, tennis court upgrades, multipurpose field space and a reworked main entrance.
“It’s a conceptual plan,” Broom said. “That’s why this rendering was done, to see what would fit. There’s no immediate plan.”
There will be council discussion Monday on tennis court reconfiguration where two new courts could be added. The town has a nine- or 10-month program now plus open play.
“There are no other public tennis courts in Fort Mill,” Simpson said.
Changes at the YMCA at the Complex at some level involve Upper Palmetto YMCA (manages the facility for the town) and the Fort Mill School District (owns the Fort Mill Aquatic Center).
“Everything we do is in tangent support with all three of those,” Shirey said.
From immediate recreation issues to a long-term vision for facilities, Cook said the goal is the same.
“We want to keep this a healthy environment in Fort Mill,” she said.
This story was originally published May 11, 2020 at 12:18 PM.
