Are you sure you want to take a kid's dream away?

My daughter has dyslexia, and through much of elementary school she lacked confidence and self-esteem.  When she joined SPSA, I watched her blossom.  Softball showed her that she is strong and capable.  She gained confidence through team sports, and I am forever grateful to the coaches of SPSA for teaching my daughter what she is capable of.  If we lose the fields at Shaw Park, the program may not be able to accommodate the number of players it currently supports.  The thought of any girl missing out on the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive the way my daughter has is heartbreaking.  Please stand with us in our mission to save the softball fields at Shaw Park! 

- Katy Thurow

My name is Jill Yuhas and I would like to share why saving Shaw Park’s softball fields is so very important for our young ladies. I started playing softball at Sandy Plains when I was 9 years old, and I didn’t stop playing ball until I graduated Pope High School in 2000. Sandy Plains was a second home for me, and I loved every minute of it. Many of the friends I made went to other schools and experienced different backgrounds than I did, though we found common ground on the fields. We learned to work together and support one another on and off the field no matter what, because we were a team. Our parents and coaches were amazing and extremely supportive of us and each other. Coach Pat Abney was fresh out of college when he took on the Pope Softball coaching position, and he made a significant impact on all of us. Coach Abney was like a big brother. He inspired us to believe in ourselves no matter how challenging the obstacles we encountered, and he encouraged us to make good decisions. 

Now, I am forty years old, and I have a 9-year-old daughter, Alex. She started playing at Sandy Plains in the 6U program, sat out 2 seasons ‘sheltering in place,’ then returned to play in 8U. While being isolated from the world, she experienced extreme anxiety. Alex needed to learn and play with other children her age. I was so motivated to get our girls outside playing on the fields, I volunteered my husband, John, to be a head coach for one of the 8U teams. I assisted him along with other outstanding parents her first season back at Sandy Plains. That season, I was asked to be on the SPSA board to fill the 8U Coordinator position for Spring 2022. Now I help coach John’s 10U team and I share the 10U Coordinator position on the SPSA board with Kevin Brannon who is a great man and mentor. My experience at Sandy Plains runs deep, and I am certain it will continue to influence the lives of many girls. That is why we need to encourage Cobb County government officials to save the Shaw Park softball fields for SPSA teams. Please share your story and support with us….

My daughter has gained confidence in herself and grown tremendously in her athletic ability.  Softball has taught her how to win respectfully and lose humbly.  She has formed friendships with girls she would never have met otherwise, and those relationships have helped support her love for the game.  She has learned what appreciation means by watching all the hard work and love her coaches put into every season.  Shaw Park feels like home and losing the fields at Shaw would devastate our softball community.

 - Whitney Mallon