Soccer Parents Pitch Safety Concerns Over Planted Trees

When it comes to youth soccer, players and parents are typically concerned with safety issues regarding concussions.

Massachusetts Youth Soccer offers a policy on its website to better understand the signs to keep players from serious injury.

But one safety hazard that is not mentioned by the MYS is trees, which is something parents and players of Sudbury Youth Soccer dealt with this past spring.

A row of trees was planted near one of the soccer fields to provide shade. But the trees were planted on the north end of the field.

According to Bob Haarde, a soccer parent and selectman, the positioning of the trees doesn't make sense.

"The kids were getting dangerously close during practice," he said. "(Town Manager) Maureen Valente said a month or two ago it would be removed, but nothing happened."

Instead, another soccer field was created near the parking lot of Haskell, which abuts a wooden barrier.

"Soccer balls were always going across the parking lot, across Fairbank Road, and kids were dodging cars," Haarde said.

According to Chris Felt, the foreman of Parks and Grounds, the planting happened before the spring soccer season started. 

"We asked the program director if the trees would be a problem," he said. "We were told it was, and we never put nets on that part of the field." 

Despite the large size of Haskell, numerous plots are used for various sports, including lacrosse and baseball. 

"The issue out there is that with limited space and lacrosse taking up the lower section in the spring, no one wants to reduce the amount of field they have," Felt said. "We're limited to where to put them."

Felt said next spring the plan is to lay the fields out differently. 

"Those trees were only an issue for a week," Felt said. "We never had a pair of nets on that field. I think it’s a nonissue."

Another parent said she disagrees and wants the trees removed.

"My concern is first and foremost is safety, and second is wasting money," said Lauren Hochberg, a soccer mom of three boys. "They are too close to the field. The kids come running with a full head of steam and there's a tree right there. The longer you wait the more they root. Next spring too late, now is the time to do it."