Hundreds of girls' fastpitch players are frustrated with their summer season. 612 Fastpitch League is playing on overgrown and neglected fields in Minneapolis, while the boys baseball and adult leagues play on renovated fields.

"I really love this sport. It's my favorite sport, and it just makes me mad when I can't play on a nice field," said Delainey Ulfers, a 12-year-old player on 612 Fastpitch.

Since June 1, 612 Fastpitch has been playing and training at Todd Park, which has not been renovated since 1991, 34 years ago, and it shows.

"The grass, even though it's kind of cut, will get stuck in my cleats and slow me down," Ulfers said.

"I slipped on the base path and fell down pretty hard because I couldn't get a good grip on the field," said Sophie Brix, a 13-year-old player on 612 Fastpitch.

Ulfers and Brix say the bad conditions go beyond the field. They're concerned that there are no trash cans near the diamond, and only one porta potty, missing a lock, covered in graffiti and not regularly cleaned.

"During our last game, we had to have one of our team moms, if we had any trash, we had to just hand it to her and she would hold it all," Brix said.

Meanwhile, Minneapolis boys baseball leagues and adult slow pitch leagues play just a few miles east, at Bossen Park. The improvements are drastic as it was recently renovated and the diamonds have chalked baselines, covered dugouts to protect players, bleachers, and there are ample trash bins nearby and two new porta potties.

"We should be prioritizing young girls' softball careers over the beer leagues because it's not as much for fun, it's more for competition and team building," Brix said.

612 Fastpitch coach and team dad, Karl Ulfers, has been fighting for better playing conditions for the last few years.

"In 2023, the [Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board] resolution that passed, stated that immediately six fields were supposed to be set up for the proper fencing and distances and dugouts for the girls, and not a single one of those fields was acatully delivered," Karl Ulfers said. "We need to see follow-through and real financial commitment."

The park board says it met with leaders of 612 Fastpitch last week, and will now move the fastpitch games to different fields for the rest of the summer. They plan to install temporary fencing for the girls to play where the boys do, until they get the money to make improvements at Todd Park. 

According to the resolution, the MPRB has until 2028 to make good on the commitment to renovate Todd Park.

• Minneapolis