MANSFIELD – Through beating sun, smoggy air and seldom rain, one Mansfield couple has taken it upon themselves weekly to revitalize something they saw dying in their backyard.
The result returns diamond sports to the community.
Joe and Julie Rohl grew tired of seeing the untreated, underutilized Spartan Fields at St. Peter’s Catholic School, seeing kids choose their phones over athletics. In rebuke, they’ve spent their summer setting up the field for the St. Peter’s Spartans baseball and softball camp.
The camp will take place Aug. 4 through Aug. 6, teaching kids ages 8 to 14 baseball, helping them build skills and connections with their peers.
The revitalization process wasn’t easy. St. Peter’s only staffs a dedicated lawn mower, meaning upkeep of the fields themselves has gone to the wayside.
“The infields were all grass,” Joe Rohl said. “You couldn’t tell where the dirt was, so we actually had to take and measure out to find where the infields were, and then just completely skinned them.
“We had a couple of volunteers help us the first two weekends to kind of skin the fields and get them back down to the dirt, and it’s just been on an almost daily basis, coming out and trying to take care of them and get the overgrown fence lines and everything else taken care of.”
The Rohls don’t have an extensive history in sports. They weren’t college athletes and they have day jobs. Joe’s memories consist of playing with friends on weekends. Julie was never really into sports.
They found new passion in their kids’ participation in athletics.
“Our kids being in sports brought that love back to us. Getting to see the joy and the camaraderie they have with their friends … it’s a good thing,” Joe said. “The community needs that.”
The camp offers a more affordable entry into diamond sports, as well. The only payment needed is a $35 entry fee, which the Rohls use on custom shirts awarded at the end of the camp.
Either the Rohls or volunteers have done all the work leading up to the camp, with volunteers continuing to aid during it.
“I know Ontario has a camp, a week-long camp going this summer, and I think it’s $300,” Joe said. “That’s not something a lot of families around here can afford … it’s about getting the kids out here having fun.”
The Rohls family’s passion for their community has been infectious. They understand nobody wants to see kids grow up without sports, and they’ve dedicated their time and money toward bringing it back to a community that hasn’t tended to that well enough.
“I’m already seeing (the passion) every time I talk to someone about what we’re doing,” Joe said. “Everybody wants to see it, and it’s because it’s something for kids to get out and enjoy the sunshine, get some exercise and feel the camaraderie of a team.”
