Gipson proposes football league plan

Two weeks after Mark Clark presented to the Holly Springs Board of Aldermen a plan for play of the Mustangs little league football team in Holly Springs, Mayor Sharon Gipson brought her own plan to the table.

She would implement a Worldwide Explosion Youth Association league within the Parks and Recreation Department, run by director Sanchez Blake.

Gipson brought the plan before the board of aldermen for approval at the August 16 board meeting, saying she spoke with Horatio Key, president of the Worldwide Explosion Association league. She said she also spoke with the son of the late Danny Warren who ran the Holly Springs Mustangs little league before his untimely death.

Gipson said Key presented a plan to play football September 17, a full day of play in Holly Springs. A $500 joining fee has been paid, she said.

Gipson presented the cost of uniforms for girls and boys and that some 57 parents have each paid $80 to register their child.

She proposed recapturing funds invested by the city by operating the concessions and charging an admission. The city would keep those sales.

Ward 2 alderman Andre Jones cited an estimate of $15,180 to purchase uniforms.

Gipson said she has looked at the budget and has about $20,000. There will also be referee fees and will have two games running at the same time on game day.

Jones questioned the permitting of an independent organization to be involved (Worldwide Explosion) as a city program.

“We need to take responsibility for the program,” he said. “If it is an independent organization, I don’t think we should pay that.”

“We will fold the program into the city,” Gipson said.

Ward 1 alderman Bernita Fountain questioned the city purchasing the equipment out of the present city budget.

Gipson said the purchases would have to come out of the current budget. She talked about players renting equipment and how to do that.

“We were told $80 would cover jerseys and pants,” Gipson said. “How do we take it and make it our own team?”

She also made an oblique reference to a Hiram Revels Center she has proposed for the Sims Intermediate School campus on West Valley Avenue.

Jones added concern that other sports would also have to be funded, such as basketball and baseball.

“Maybe it is something we can phase in and determine how to proceed next year,” he said.

Gipson continued. “We do want to have things for young people,” she said.

“We have to do things decent and in order. We have to find something for our children to do. We had nothing in writing.”

Attorney Keith Perry said if the city is considering a team, the city still has to consider other issues such as out-of-town games.

“It might be smart for parents to sponsor certain sports,” he said. “If you are taking the whole thing under your umbrella, it is much greater areas to consider in travel grey areas.”

Fountain said there is a scheduling conflict at Sam Coopwood Park September 17 when games would be played. The Greek Picnic is also scheduled at the park that day, she said.

“Here’s my concern,” said Ward 4 alderman Patricia Merriweather. “I was under the impression, I didn’t know about football until I saw signs (at the Multi-Purpose Building). I thought it was (under) Parks and Recreation.”

“We realized the miscommunication,” Gipson said. “Clark (Mark Clark) came in midJuly. Then he was requesting, was constantly changing, so we have to put a procedure in place. People must follow the proper procedure process.”

Ward 3 alderman Colter Teel asked if there was a calendar that shows what is going on at Parks and Rec, if the board could see the calendar and what is already scheduled.

“I don’t know if we need to make a criterion for Park and Rec,” Merriweather said. “It seems something needs to be solidified for year 2023. We don’t want people to think we don’t support them. Did it start at Park and Rec?”

“No, they are not city signs,” Gipson said. “Park and Rec is looking at plans for next year.”

Alderman-at-large Dexter Shipp said the Mustangs was not a city team.

“Are we trying to take over that team?” he asked. “No, this is worldwide, not the league Warren was associated with,” Gipson said. “Warren’s son has no issues. He said Danny Warren took care of everything – raised money and parents helped raise money.”

Gipson asked to hold the item until the Thursday August 18 budget meeting.

Merriweather weighed in. “I’m going to make a strong statement,” she said. “If that is through Parks and Rec, we are way out in the deep now. If we had something structural. We’ve got to have clarity. We don’t want people to think we don’t have things for our young people. The director of Parks and Rec should have said something so we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

A separate interview with Mark Clark, who is developing a fall football schedule for the Holly Springs Mustangs, said the Mustangs were scheduled to open Saturday, August 27 at Coldwater. September 3 is the home game in Holly Springs, he said.

“Every city where my league plays pays its own way,” he said. “We’re not asking for a lot of help. We used to have a separate place, but we needed the city to sign players up. He said the Mustangs will be refunded the $80 per child that parents paid to play football with the Mustangs this fall. If the city decides to give the Mustangs a donation, it would be accepted.”

The Mustangs played five Memphis, Tenn., teams, and one Holly Springs, one Coldwater and one West Helena, Arkansas, team in Coldwater August 27, he said.

Clark said the mayor was wrong about when he started working on the fall plan for little league football.

“I came to Sanchez (Blake) in the third week of June and asked if the city could help pay for game jerseys and pants and he stated it would not be a problem,” Clark said. “I only came to the mayor when Blake did not get back with me about the city’s part.

“The mayor is wrong about the league that Danny (Warren) played in. We played in a league based out of Jackson with teams in North Mississippi. We only joined the World Explosion because that league folded.”

Clark said he will demand that the money paid by parents be refunded. “I want to say here and now we will not ask the city for any financial help. Just refund our parents their registration fee and we will part amiably,” Clark said.

In a followup interview with Clark and Horatio Key they said they are working together to have youth league football this season. The city did not pay a $500 league fee, Key and Clark said. A sponsor stepped up and paid the league fee.

Key said he did not contact Gipson about starting a little league football team in Holly Springs. He said Gipson called him and wanted him to run everything through her.