"Most of the fields, except for Jack Allen, are multi use".........Bullcrap!! Try to go and practice or play youth football on any of Parks and Rec soccer fields and see what happens. How about the SOA fields at PT Mallard.....Nope!! If you play communist soccer or fall baseball, they've got a field for you. Play youth football and it no way jose'. You have to practice on the outfield of the Dixie Girls ball fields at Brookhaven or in the field in front of the school!! Get with the program Decatur!!

How about you quit blowing money on a walking/bicycle trail that nobody uses because it passes through cracktown or buying the old railroad depot that no one wanted because its also by cracktown and start using it for something worthwhile.

Wait, I forgot, its not your money your blowing anyway, its ours!!

Well said Patrick

I agree with Patrick also, it has been that way for a long time. Glad to see JP stepping up and helping make this happen. Naming it after Jr. Vaughn is a great idea also.

Problem is you've for a bunch of councilmen that never wore a helmet and never played the game so they have no appreciation for it.

Just to clarify - we had 8 teams last year made up of more than 200 kids. We expect to field 9-10 teams this year. Children are assigned to teams based on school district so we have the Bears and Raiders at four different age groups. I will also clarify what Patrick said - we got run off numerous fields this year because baseball wanted them for a new fall league - although we had filed all of the required paperwork for football to use the fields. We were also told that Parks and Rec more readily assists baseball and soccer due to the fact that those sports put money back into the city facilities - problem is football does not have a facility to put money back into.

Here is a breakdown of the competition fields supported by Decatur Parks and Rec:

Soccer: 15 lighted fields, total seating 4100, total parking 1850

Baseball: 16 lighted fields, total seating 5170, total parking 1300

Softball: 15 lighted fields, total seating 4100, total parking 700

Basketball: 4 full courts, 8 half courts, total seating 1400, total parking 517

Tennis: 28 lighted courts, total seating 500, total parking 950

Swimming: 3 pools for a total of 20 lanes, total seating 700, total parking 610

Figure skating/NHL Hockey rinks: 1 with a locker room, total seating 350, total parking 200

All of this information is from the parks and rec website. Who would have thought that Decatur, Alabama would have a regulation NHL hockey rink but not a football field?

Patrick,

I agree with your comments regarding the need for youth football fields, but lay off the walking/bicycle trail that you state "nobody uses". Myself and a lot of others use these several times a week. Can't run on the streets because too many fools driving cars that don't pay attention to what's around them. So, don't taint your rant by stating opinions that are completely false!

Thank you Jerraud Powers for being a good roll model for our youth, a great representative of the State of Alabama and for representing Auburn University with class. Youth football has always been pushed from field to field from year to year. When our kids played Pop Warner Football we used the field at Austin High and the Decatur High Stadium. We went on trips to play in tournaments and even won a Pop Warner National Championship. Our youth always played with a lot of heart and due to size restrictions in Decatur we played a lot of teams of much bigger kida and still represented Decatur well. I think it is abot time that the "Fall Travel Baseball System" be put in it's place. After all it is mostly Dads and Granddads who are trying to relive their childhoods through their kids! They take kid out of church on Sunday mornings to "fullfill their dreams" and assure their kids a spot in the pros! We built a dog pound on a multimillion dollar piece of property when it could have been built on some scrub land in the edge of town! It is time to properly represent the kids who want to play youth football! Who knows! We might even pull in a few extra bucks if we had a facility to host a tournament! After all, we sure spent a few extra dollars following our kida to distant cities! Mr Mayor and City Council, do the right thing! A big WAR EAGLE to Jerraud Powers for standing up for our youth! After all he could be coming bac home to the "Gangsta Thing" too but he chooses to show more class!

Coach Don Woods formerly of Hartselle warned us about that communist game of soccer back in the 80s. Who knew that Woods was a sage?

You mean "role" model Kenneth. He's not demonstrating baked goods.

There are 4 nfl players who were raised in the Decatur area.... Do you think they could donate some money to the cause?

well said everyone! & more importantly, it could give kids a sense of belonging & haviing a place to call their own & be proud & GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO DO maybe we wont have so many breaking into schools soooo young!

Oddly enough, tonight the council approved $50,000 for an amphitheatre in front of the Old Bank....the worst possible place for an amphitheatre, next to a busy highway.

Decatur used to have a number of fields that youth football used - at Delano Park, at Leon Sheffield School etc. But now baseball and soccer rule.

I will say that the bicycle path is well used.

get youth league football some public money. Public money goes into everything else. Thanksfor the initiativeby those mentioned in the article.