STOCKTON, Calif. — Without power, water, sewer services and a scoreboard, tryouts and sign-ups are well underway at Stockton's Sundown Little League. This year, however, the pre-season sign-ups are ending in a new way with some prospective players trading gloves and bats for wheelbarrows and shovels.
Just under two months until opening ceremonies are held at the league's facilities off Hammer Lane, organizers are attempting to clean up and rebuild after storms caused an estimated $15,000 in damage.
"Volunteers and even the kids came out and helped do some of the cleanup," said the league's player agent Karina Escobedo. "Picking up leaves, putting all the debris from that fallen tree, getting that out of the field, getting our fields back so that way we can conduct our tryouts."
The series of early January storms that hit northern California with pelting rain and gusty winds knocked down a tree just outside of the league's facilities taking with it a power pole, a sewer line, a water meter and a scoreboard.
The tree came to a rest landing on top of a car, leaving the nonprofit little league with an expensive problem.
"These are necessities that are needed in order for us to have a baseball league going," said Escobedo. "We're a nonprofit organization so we rely a lot on volunteers. We rely on donations, sponsorships, fundraisers, wherever we can get our money."
According to Escobedo, the league filed an insurance claim which revealed that most of the damage is not covered. Because the tree that fell was on public property and belonged to San Joaquin County, league officials reached out to county crews who removed some of the downed tree but weren't able to offer more help.
PG&E also declined to help telling league officials that the power pole was not owned by them, said Esbodeo. An application for federal help was filed through the county, but the league has yet to see any of the money.
With the clock ticking until opening day, organizers started a GoFundMe page to help with recovery expenses and alerted other local leagues.
"We've had donations from other little leagues, we've had help sent, and people just putting the word out there," said Escobedo. "It's been awesome to see."
According to Escobedo, whose 9-year-old son plays in the major division, the spirit of the community coming together is at the heart of the 63-year-old league.
"This is our home field so it means a lot for the community because it at least provides something for the kids to do," said Escobedo. "For me, being part of the league is kind of like my second family."
For now, league leaders have brought out generators and Porta Potties to restore the bare minimum. Some players and parents have offered to volunteer their time and money to help clean up efforts.
Despite the extensive damages, league organizers say the games must go on. They are eyeing an opening ceremony date- regardless of the facility's condition- of Mar. 25.
"Some of the kids have asked, and even parents, 'are we going to be able to play baseball?' And of course, we've told them, 'yes, we will,'" said Escobedo. "We are taking any help that we can get. Donations, hours, manpower, just to help us get the season going so that way we can provide the little league season for these kids."
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