OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — "Every time something like this happens, you are taking away opportunities from kids," said Jerry Kreber, head coach of Omaha Central baseball.
Friday afternoon, Kreber said things weren't right at Boyd Park.
"Several pieces of the visitors bleachers were missing. I also noticed that the back-stop padding was gone," Kreber said.
One of the team batting turtles, used for batting practice, was also taken, and the JV and freshman field damaged.
"Somebody had taken their car out to center field and done some u-ees out there, creating large ruts in center and right center field," Kreber said.
The team is disappointed with just four weeks left until the season starts.
"The morale just kind of drops off especially like this when pads are getting stolen from, just simple things you need to play the game. It just kind of effects your emotions about baseball and just the upcoming season," said Ben Nodes, a senior pitcher and outfielder on the team.
Current players told 3 News Now Reporter Molly Hudson damage to their field like this, not only interrupts the current season, it takes away from the younger generation of players too.
"It only takes away from underclassman coming in, and all the little kids we provide opportunities for," said Sheldon Meyer, a senior pitcher on the team.
Central uses Boyd Park to provide access and opportunity to players of all ages including youth and post grad teams.
"I know they look up to us, so it's kind of nice to see that and I kind of wish they had a better environment to be playing baseball around than this," Nodes said.
As the 2023 winds up, the Eagles are holding their heads high.
"Just focusing on what we are doing in practice, what drills the coaches give us and just trying to improve ourselves better," Meyer said.
As these two pitches head into their final high school baseball season, Nodes said he's grown up playing at Boyd Park and hopes things change.
"I've spent hours, days here, basically my second home sometimes so it's really sad to see stuff like this happen," Nodes said.
Boyd Park is owned by the City of Omaha. Matt Kalcevich, the city director for Parks, Recreation, and Public Property, said in a statement:
"We are appalled at the damage caused at Boyd Park and the fields used by North High School. It is incredibly disappointing that someone would do such a thing. This is a place where youth learn and grow not just as athletes but as people. If anyone has information about who did this, we encourage them to contact the Omaha Police Department. Omaha Parks and Recreation will work with Omaha Public Schools to restore this space for the season and strategize how this kind of hurtful activity can be avoided in the future."
Coach Kreber said the community has rallied behind them. The team has already received donations from Elkhorn South and help from an alumnus on the field. Kreber said Monday he was in the process of filing a police report, and ask that if anyone knows anything or sees something like this happen, to call the police.
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