By Anita Todd

HAINES CITY – A group of about 20 young people allegedly caused so much disruption at a local sports field the last weekend of November that a youth football tournament was forced to relocate. Eyewitnesses reported that the group intimidated participants with obscene language and aggressive behavior.

The incident has prompted the Haines City Commission to reexamine how its sports venues are managed, especially with $1.3 million in new turf soon to be installed at the Haines City Soccer Complex and Myers Wiley Field.

At the Dec. 2 City Commission meeting, former mayor and commissioner Horace West urged the city to install clear, informational signage at all recreational fields. Horace West is affiliated with the Haines City Vipers, a youth football program he founded. Over the years, he has started around 20 other youth football teams in nearby communities and helped establish a conference involving dozens of programs.

Horace West said he had received prior approval from Parks and Recreation to use the Soccer Complex for the tournament. According to Parks and Recreation Director Terrell Griffin, bilingual signage was posted at both entrances notifying the public that the fields were reserved.

However, the night before the event, Horace West was informed that a large group had taken over the field and damaged property. When he and officers from the Haines City Police Department arrived, he said they found the group kicking sand over freshly painted field lines, destroying barricades and lighting, overturning tables, and expressing anger that a football event—not soccer—was scheduled there.

Horace West and four others arrived early Saturday to repair the damage before the tournament began. While they worked, the same group returned, attempted to play soccer on the field, vandalized the bathrooms, and tried to tear down goal posts.

“To educate the public, that this is more than just a soccer complex, just like Myers Wiley Field is more than football, and Larry Parrish is more than a baseball field. We use it for Easter egg hunting,” Horace West said. “Put some signs up so that everybody understands that there may be other events.”

The escalating hostility led referees and volunteers to refuse to return on Sunday, forcing the remainder of the tournament to relocate to Ridge Community High School.

Griffin said vandalism at the Soccer Complex has been an ongoing problem.

“Someone put firecrackers in the lights, tried to tear the paper towel and toilet paper dispensers off the walls. The bathrooms have had to be repainted three times because of graffiti,” he said. “Staff is now checking the facility bathrooms every morning.”

With $1.3 million in turf about to be installed at the Soccer Complex and Myers Wiley Field, Griffin said the city will likely have to adopt tighter protections.

“Once we do turf that field, we are going to have to look to do some things different to where we can lock that field down when we need to,” Griffin, said. “Obviously, investing $1.3 million into that turf, we need to be sure that when we need to lock it down, we are able to do that… There are certain things that will absolutely destroy that turf. There is definitely a need to protect that investment at both locations.”

For now, the Commission agreed to post extra-large signs in English and Spanish at venues prior to scheduled events, notifying the public when fields are reserved.