Readers Respond

AT ISSUE: We asked readers what they thought about American Youth

Soccer Organization regions from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach sharing

field time at the Farm Sports Complex.

Our community has been called Newport-Mesa for many years. It shares

the Daily Pilot and the school district, why not the soccer fields?

Costa Mesa AYSO kids are fortunate they can practice their soccer

skills after dark. Chances of getting more parent volunteers to coach

might be greater when they don’t have to rush home from work before the

sun goes down. Maybe the city of Newport Beach could do with less palm

trees and perhaps look for a way to light up one of the many parks or

schools.

PHYLLIS TRUESDELL

East Costa Mesa

Regarding AYSO Region 97 (Newport Beach) using the new Costa Mesa

sports complex ... it seems only fair if there is room. Especially

because Newport Beach was disproportionately taxed by Measure A to help

Costa Mesa schools.

JEANNE CURRY

Newport Coast

I am an AYSO volunteer coach. We invite the Costa Mesa players to

participate in the Newport 97 region for the benefit of the children. The

use of the fields should not be a turf war, as the divisions and the

cities have to remember this is all for the good of the children. How we

get along and share our resources reflects on us as leaders, citizens and

parents. Our children (eventually) mimic our actions and how we treat

each other.

The fields are a premium. All we need to do is work on the

coordination of the fields with the spirit of participation. Allow Costa

Mesa to have first choice for its division, but allow some time for

Region 97, as so many Costa Mesa youth participate in the Newport

division.

This is not about splitting participation along city boundaries. This

is about our children playing with each other regardless of boundaries.

Remember, this is all for our children.

AL MARSHALL

Newport Beach

The city should allow Newport Beach to use the soccer fields at the

Farm Sports Complex because we are one school district, known as

Newport-Mesa. How difficult is that? The fields are for students, and

they are all in the same district -- period. Some people like to make

things complicated like little children: “It’s mine, and you can’t play

with it!”

JEANNE ROWLEY

Costa Mesa

Because taxpayers’ money was spent to purchase and build these fields,

they should not be used for only one special group such as AYSO Region

120. There are at least 3,000 to 4,000 other players in Costa Mesa who

should be able to share the use of these fields. If AYSO wants to pay for

the use of the fields as other organizations are charged for their use,

the field time should be divided between all interested organization

without priority to AYSO.

TERRY FERGUSON

Costa Mesa