Suburban Little League takes budget hit

Carla Wagner's four children started playing sports when they were toddlers. As teenagers, their skill level and competitive nature makes it tough to keep them off the athletic fields.

But increasing costs to play youth sports coupled with a crippling economy have forced Carla and her husband, Bob, to re-evaluate the family rosters. The household budget can no longer support all the sports they have played in the past. As a result, the West Chicago mom may have to tell her 12-year-old son Ricky that he can't play baseball this summer. Michael, 16 and Kyle, 14, stopped playing ball last season. They chose lacrosse. "The price of sports is killing me. Especially for a bigger family - it's hard," she said.

Wagner, who just signed 10-year-old daughter Lauren up for softball, has a game plan to make it work. She switched to less expensive leagues and asks her in-laws for money for sports enrollment fees instead of kids' birthday gifts.

A weakening economy, pay cuts and job losses are forcing families to make tough cuts that are reaching deep to children's athletic activities.

As a result, many suburban baseball and softball organizations are seeing alarming drops in enrollment. Most youth baseball registrations have just ended, leaving organizers shaking their heads and wondering where all the young athletes have gone.

"We're down about 8 percent over last year. I'm sure it's largely because of the economy," said Roy Ori, president of Palatine North Little League. "I'm hearing numbers are down in leagues all around us," he added.

Showing that parents are struggling financially, nearly every suburban league is reporting large increases in the number of families asking for financial assistance or the ability to make payments in installments. Enrollment costs range from $135 for young players to $210 for the more advanced levels. When you have several children and equipment costs, it all adds up.

"The number of people requesting hardship cases is up 100 percent," said Phil Rizzo, who oversees Little League District 13 - covering 18 leagues from Crystal Lake to Hanover Park.

"We need to do everything we can to keep these kids off the streets and on the baseball fields," he said.

In his territory, he sees enrollment numbers dropping in several areas including Elgin and Bartlett. "Everyone is cognizant of what's going on with the economy," he said.

South Elgin Little League was hit hard. About 300 fewer boys signed up this year. "Are we in that bad of a financial time?" asked league President Greg Tredup.

Most organizations, including South Elgin, continue to enroll children until the season starts. Some have dropped late fees that typically start in February.

An additional signup day was added in Bartlett with hopes of increasing numbers. The league is still about 200 players down from last year. "Not sure if it's the economy or what," said John Stanko, president of Bartlett Little League.

Softball and baseball leagues in Gurnee, Libertyville, Lake Zurich and Downers Grove reported enrollments are down.

Organizers expressed concern that fewer kids are learning the game, but also about overall league budgets. Field maintenance expenses, uniforms and umpires are all based on the number of players.

"The numbers concern us. We set a budget back in October," Stanko said.

The number of teams and games also will decrease with lower player counts, said Michael Jacobs, president of Gurnee Youth Baseball which is down nearly 100 players.

Meanwhile, a handful of organizations, including Naperville, North Aurora, Mundelein and the Tri-Cities, report their numbers are coming in on target with last year.

Others, including Elgin, are optimistic parents will sign up before practice starts in early April. "I still think it's early," said Ron Scully of the Elgin National Little League where about 160 children have signed up for the league. Four hundred youths played last year.

While many baseball commissioners blame the economy for the dropping numbers, some coaches believe the increase in independent travel leagues also is taking players from the house programs.

"It's a somber time with the economy, but travel ball plays a role too," said Adolf Munoz, secretary of the Itasca Athletic Association where numbers are down about 10 percent over last year.

An aspect troubling many organizers is that the numbers are dropping at the younger ages in many organizations.

"We're taking a hit in a lot of our younger divisions," said Patrick Smith from Huntley's Little League, where enrollment is down 10 percent from last year.

If the younger kids don't sign up now, Jacobs from Gurnee fears they may never get involved in the game. "That could effect future registration," he said. "We're down in our lower age levels. That's most concerning to me."

Besides learning the basic skills, children will miss out on the camaraderie of playing on a team and building friendships outside of school, organizers say.

And some coaches worry what children will do instead. "I'd rather have them playing baseball than staying inside on the couch with X-box," said Tredup in South Elgin. "You don't learn how to interact with others when you're at home by yourself."

Doctors also are taking note.

"This is a disturbing trend," said Dr. David Dobkin, a pediatrician with North Arlington Heights Pediatrics.

Childhood obesity rates have climbed over the past 10 to 15 years because of children's sedentary lifestyles with increased TV and video game usage, he said.

"The athletes have the advantage. What kids get in school is not enough. It's important that all children get 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day," he said.