Show of Support For Sports Center
 Many area athletes showed up at the government center to support a sports complex including, in the back row, Emily Thompson, left, and Hailey Shaw; center row, Laura Nibbelink, left, Hannah McShea, Ryan Oliver, Rachel Nibbelink and Madison Johnson; and front, Elizabeth Lazarro. (By Erica Garman)  |
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Kids in jerseys came out in force to the Loudoun County Government Center Thursday evening in support of a proposed sports and leadership training center in Ashburn.
Chris Bourassa, the president and chief executive of Play to Win, and his consultants appealed to the Loudoun Planning Commission for a special exception to build the center on 40 acres midway between Route 7 and the Washington and Old Dominion Trail on Belmont Ridge Road.
Jean Nibbelink of Leesburg brought two of her three children who play sports to the public hearing.
"There are not enough fields in Loudoun County, and the ones we have are in poor condition. Even for indoor soccer, we have to sign up months in advance to get space," she said.
Most of the children who attended with parents and coaches sported soccer jerseys -- Loudoun Soccer (red and white) and Ashburn Soccer Club (gold) -- although there was a sprinkling of lacrosse shirts as well. Members of Washington Glory, a professional women's softball team, were there, as was former NFL linebacker Eddie Mason, president of Mase Training.
Beckwith Bolle, president of Ashburn Soccer Club, told me her organization is supporting Play to Win out of necessity.
"We want to let this new Board of Supervisors know how serious [the county's lack of fields] is. Loudoun has a lot of kids playing athletics, yet we have the poorest facilities in the state," she said. "They've left us no choice but to support a private venture."
According to the county's planning office, the Loudoun Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services is unable to fulfill all of the field allocation requests it gets. There are some 94,000 children in Loudoun playing in 46 youth leagues, including soccer, football, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. And let's not forget the adults -- 9,750 individuals on 540 teams.
As a mom with two kids on soccer teams, I know first-hand that county fields are the pits, literally. Twisted ankles and tripping due to uneven terrain are common. Bolle says most of the Ashburn Soccer Club's injuries (including the ones where an ambulance is called) are due to the fields -- not the activity itself.
As much as projects such as Play to Win are needed and welcomed by many in this county, the development, of course, is not without controversy.
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