Spirit Youth Softball Banned from Hopatcong's Fields for Now

Editor's Note: In the time since this story's initial publication, the North Jersey Spirit youth softball team been permitted to return to Hopatcong fields.

The borough's board of recreation decided Tuesday the North Jersey Spirit youth softball teams can't play on Hopatcong fields until the organization's rosters are verified.

Board members were concerned the Spirit, a competitive traveling organization, might have violated rules stating programs using Hopatcong's fields can't cut borough players in favor of non-residents. It also worried two levels of its program didn't advertise tryouts, or even host them.

Councilman John Young raised the issue during public discussion, and resident Laurie Spaziani backed him up. The board spent about 40 minutes debating the topic before deciding Spirit officials must provide Recreation Coordinator Sue Parachuk either conforming rosters or evidence each level of the organization advertised tryouts in an attempt to recruit Hopatcong players.

Spirit applied for field permits shortly after the board's August meeting, but never supplied rosters, which the board requires before approving permits, according to board member Sal Guglielmello.

Two months ago the board amended a rule stating a team can carry three out-of-town players to a team must accept all Hopatcong players before adding non-residents.

Guglielmello and Spaziani each said the Spirit's 12-and-under team held tryouts and conformed to borough rules, but the 14-and-under and 16-and-under teams could be in violation.

"If you didn't have tryouts, then you didn't prove that," Young said.

"Then they shouldn't get a permit," board member Joan Reilly said.

"Period," board member Willa Scantlebury said.

Gugliemello said he would try reaching Spirit head coach Mike Bruggermann Wednesday about the issue. Guglielmello added the board's fields committee, comprised of Guglielmello, Scantlebury and board member Dave Barella, would review the rosters before approving them.

"You already know they didn't follow the rules because they didn't advertise anywhere for the tryouts, except for the 12-U," Spaziani said.

Spaziani said Ron Willis, a Hopatcong resident, runs the 12-U team. And while multiple board members expressed regret Wills' team would be affected by the ban, they agreed it must be done.

"I think from now on they should not be allowed onto the field," Reilly said.

Spaziani pushed for the board to make a decision Monday night rather than wait until October's meeting.

"That's the thing. They're just going to play you," Spaziani said. "And if it goes until next month, then they win. They've gotten three quarters of their season done and, 'Well, we'll do the same thing next year. We won't turn in our rosters until too late.'"

Spaziani said the Spirit planned to host a tournament in the borough Sunday. The news also irked board members, who said programs must submit separate tournament applications, since the size and nature of the events differ from single games.

"Tournaments fall under different usage," Young said. "[A tournament is not] what one would consider normal seasonal usage."

Young said the Hopatcong Hawks soccer program applied for different permits when it hosted World Cup Day this summer at Veterans Field.

"Originally [the Hawks] didn't put in any permits or talk to anybody because they already had the field permitted," Young said. "But then the word got out what they were doing…World Cup Day is not like having a couple of soccer games, and having a tournament with six teams present all day long is not like having a softball game."

Board member Don Bogardus said the board should consider asking programs before their seasons start if they plan to host any tournaments or special events.

Editor's note: A previous version of this article didn't state Spaziani is a former Spirit coach.