‘Heartbroken’: Boston Pop Warner football team considers dismantling due to safety concerns
A Roxbury Pop Warner football team may not have a 2023 season because of safety concerns at the park they practice at.
Boston 25 News has been reporting on the complaints involving littered needles, open drug use, and human feces at Clifford Park for over five years.
Boston Bengals Pop Warner coach Domingos DaRosa believes those issues are to blame for what he describes as “the lowest enrollment he’s ever seen”.
He said an incident last October involving one of his players being pricked by a needle was the final straw for many families.
“At this point, I can’t reassure anybody that I’m able to keep their kids safe,” said DaRosa. “[I’m] heartbroken.”
DaRosa said the low enrollment not only means not having enough players but also not having enough funding.
“We’re looking to dismantle the program after 24 years of service,” he explained. “We need at least 22 to properly man a team, and we’re not able to get those numbers.”
Parents and players who still want to participate told Boston 25 News they are still holding onto a shred of hope ahead of the start of the season on August 1st.
The final deadline to submit paperwork to Pop Warner is August 14th.
“We don’t want to go into anyone else’s community. We want to use our community, and we want to keep this program here,” said Susie Kallon-Lebbie, whose 6-year-old son plays for the team.
Families said they’re aware that the City of Boston has been trying to address the problems at Clifford Park for years.
At this point, they said they’re yet to see a visible change and are past the point of being fed up.
Boston 25 News observed blatant drug use and littered needles while conducting interviews at Clifford Park on Tuesday afternoon.
“If you’re in a position of power to do something and you do not do it, you are not taking action,” said Jeremiah Ancrum, a former Boston Bengals player.
A city spokesperson told Boston 25 News that the Boston Parks and Recreation Department will soon be undergoing a community engagement process to redesign and renovate Clifford Park.
The following statement was sent in response to ongoing safety concerns at the park:
“The City is working to ensure that Clifford Park is a safe and pleasant space for all to enjoy. The City understands the urgency of addressing the crisis in this area through equity-focused, public health-led policies that address the needs of people experiencing homelessness, substance use disorders, and behavioral health issues. Each person within this population has unique needs and requires resources from a continuum of services and the City is constantly working to connect them with the appropriate resources.”
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