Youth football parents blindsided by ATI field lockout

Parents and volunteers of a Highlands area youth football league that was evicted from their home facility said they feel like they’ve been sacked.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Bethany Currie of Harrison, whose son and daughter participate in the Rams Youth Football Organization.

“The kids don’t understand why this is happening. It’s not fair, and it’s only hurting them.”

League officials were notified by ATI, owner of Bushman Field in the Karns section of Harrison, that neighbors have complained about RYFO using the facility.

Spokeswoman Natalie Gillespie said the company has to consider concerns before an agreement can be reached for future use of the field.

She said ATI asked the two sides to talk and consider compromises that would lead to a new agreement for RYFO.

For now, the facility remains locked.

Many parents said they feel blindsided after the organization poured about $40,000 into property upgrades and spent untold hours sprucing up the area.

“We’ve spent hours and hours painting, pulling weeds and keeping the place up to par,” said Tiffany Lott of Harrison, whose 10-year-old son plays on the league’s Tigers team. “You hate to see it all ripped away.”

Since taking over the lease in 2021, RYFO has purchased a new fence, installed internet and security cameras, and paid $15,000 for a scoreboard.

“We literally just put that scoreboard in before our Super Bowl in the fall,” Lott said. “What happens to that?”

ATI representatives did not respond Friday to questions regarding specific concerns from neighbors that led to the company’s decision or whether a meeting has been scheduled to work out a resolution.

Gillespie did not say what would happen to the property if youth football is not allowed to return.

Move elsewhere?

RYFO leaders said they have approached Tarentum Council for use of Dreshar Stadium for team practices. The Highlands School Board already has approved the teams to play their games at the Golden Rams facilities near the high school.

Lou Ann Homa, vice president of Tarentum Council, said members discussed the idea during their most recent meeting and plan to vote in May.

“After the discussion at the last meeting, I feel that council will approve RYFO using Dreshar for their practices,” Homa said.

Amy Nulph of Tarentum fears a setback for the league if it is forced to bounce around between facilities.

There is a lot of work to be done at Dreshar, which most recently was set up as a baseball diamond. There are no restrooms.

“It’s going to have a huge impact,” Nulph said. “The kids are used to being at their field where we had built it up to feel like home.”

Nulph has an especially long history with youth football in the area. Her dad coached for the Highland Hornets alongside Don Bushman, for whom the field is named.

“My brothers played; my sister was a cheerleader,” she said. “Now, my brother is a coach for RYFO, and our kids are there. That field’s been in my family for a long time.”

Jennifer Messaros of Harrison, whose daughter is a cheerleader, said she is unaware of anyone ever complaining to or about the league.

“I never remember anything controversial happening,” she said. “You work your butt off and, don’t get me wrong, we all enjoy it because all the money goes right back to the kids, but now to be out?

“I hate to see the field sitting there and no one using it.”

Stacey Hayden of Tarentum, who has two children in the league, said the situation has left parents in an uncomfortable position of trying to explain to their kids why someone would be mad about them playing a game they love.

“I always hear people in the community complaining about youths being in the streets,” she said. “RYFO provides opportunities for them to learn responsibility, leadership and hard-work ethics from their coaches, who are positive role models that care about the children.

“During the football season, the children are engaging in positive activities on the field.”