San Antonio – The work to repair a North Side little league baseball field continued Saturday morning after it was ruined by recent floods.
The Northwest Little League said their fields were torn apart, putting their upcoming season at risk. On Saturday morning, volunteers helped team organizers clean up debris.
Some volunteers like Iliana Rangel had not been back to the little league field in years.
“My son started here with little league, (but) he doesn’t play here anymore,” Rangel said.
The shock and heartbreak of a washed-out field lead Rangel and other parents to come pitch in.
“We just want to get the fields back up, you know, for Fall ball,” Rangel said. “So that (the kids) can come out and, you know, and enjoy their youth. These kids love baseball.”
Also taking the field Saturday morning were those who say baseball has been a big part of their life.
“There (are) some old-timers (who have) come out,” David Hinebaugh, president of Northwest Little League said. “Most of the kids (out here today) are probably in their 20s and 30s, but, yeah, they’ve they’ve come out to help out.”
Saturday’s focus remained on clearing the troubles left behind when floodwaters tore apart their baseball fields earlier this week.
“(The) field may need some landscaping work… but it’s too soon to tell,” said Hinebaugh.
By next weekend, Hinebaugh hopes the field will be dry in order to bring in a tractor to help pull the fence posts from the ground. He said more volunteers will be needed to complete the task.
Even after the mess is cleaned up, Hinebraugh said the curveball will be getting things back to normal before the season starts in mid-August.
“(I will) need to find a fence contractor that’ll come out and replace the fencing that we have (or) hopefully repair what we salvage,” Hinebraugh said. “We (are trying) to keep the costs down. We don’t have the flood insurance so, we’re having to either get money donated or (will) have to do the work ourselves.
As for volunteers present Saturday, they said it’s a task they’re willing to take on to help pay it forward to current Northwest Little League players.
“To me, it doesn’t seem like work. We’re just giving back to our family,” Rangel said.