BOSTON (WHDH) - Before each practice, coaches and players of the Boston Bengals Pop Warner football program have to search a Roxbury field for a danger hidden in the grass — hypodermic needles.
The players, coach, and parents say it has been a big problem.
“It’s embarrassing,” said player Zion Ford. “Little kids in the park and the field get messed up by needles. They call this ‘Methadone Mile’ for a reason.”
Domingos Darosa heads the program and is running for City Council. He is pushing for the city and state to address the homeless and drug abuse issues that has long plagued Massachusetts Avenue and are now spilling over into Clifford Park where the kids play.
“People are concerned, we’ve had assaults, we’ve had individuals who are going through trances who are hallucinating, who are running across the field naked,” he said. “And we can’t put our young men and women through that for another season.”
Darosa said it can take more than an hour to scan a field of that size with grass that tall. He said parents are so concerned that enrollment has decreased dramatically from 300 members to just 35 in recent years.
“This time next year we may not be in existence because of the low turnouts,” he said.
The teenage players say they are willing to pitch in and help the community but they are also looking for more from their leaders.
“I’m angry but at the same time, I’m helping my community so I’m not really mad about it. But it’s kind of sad that us children have to do it,” said player Malik Piers.
“It’s not our mess, and we are kids we are supposed to have fun playing this sport, that’s how we stay out of trouble,” Anthony Mendizabal added.
A spokesperson for Mayor Kim Janey’s office said they collect needles from this specific park every day.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)