You Play, You Pay: Shrewsbury Looks to Charge for Athletic Field Use

Shrewsbury is considering the benefits of introducing a pay to play system in the borough.

No, this isn't about the kind of sordid politics New Jersey has come to be known for, we're talking youth sports here.

At a recent meeting, Councilman Peter Meyer suggested the borough consider charging traveling teams a fee for the right to use Shrewsbury's public athletic fields. The number of traveling teams that use the fields has grown significantly over the years and the cost of maintenance, as well as the general hassle associated with dealing with entitled out-of-town coaches, Meyer said, has become too much of a burden.

Though the council wasn't yet ready to approve the fee, there was little opposition to the idea. Fees for using the fields would likely range between $25 and $35, based on rates other towns have shown to charge.

"(It's) time to institute a pay for play for non-recreation teams in order to set some kind of process to this madness, for lack of a better term," Meyer said.

Traveling baseball and softball teams of all ages from throughout the state, some with players as young as second graders, use the fields throughout the spring, summer, and even fall months. Coaches also put pressure on those who help organize field schedules, turning a volunteer position into hard work.

Meyer said the fee shouldn't be onerous, just enough to help defray the cost of preparing the fields and applying regular maintenance during the season.

"I'm sure this body will find a tremendous amount of opposition to this," he said. "But will also receive support from those who understand what's going on.
"By imposing a fee you're bring back a sense of ownership."

How an official resolution will be worded remains to be seen. Though there's a clear interest in keeping the fields free for Shrewsbury recreation teams, little discussion centered on other public use by residents, like pickup games.