Why youth sports fields are struggling to stay playable

In one Florida community, a municipal center called its sports-field shortage a “turf war” after having to turn away 700 children due to insufficient access. Nonprofit centers struggle too, as more than 58% of YMCA facilities said staffing issues were their top concern in 2025, according to Recreation Management magazine.

Ahead, Navimow examines how staffing shortages are hitting community facilities in unexpected ways.

In Ohio, a missing mow cycle can close a field

Staffing shortages hit the lowest-paid, most seasonally variable positions hardest. For recreation sports leagues, those positions are often members of the grounds crew, a role that demands precision and skill. The Sports Field Management Association dictates that recreational turfgrass ought to be carefully irrigated and sloped, cut to a length that never dips below ⅔ of the grass’ blade size.

Alan Little, the YMCA of Central Ohio’s executive director of capital asset advancement, told Navimow that the full-time maintenance employee at the Hilliker YMCA in Bellefontaine has a long list of responsibilities, including lawn care, among several other tasks. More than 40 hours of the employee’s week go toward maintaining the building and indoor spaces, including pools, gym and fitness areas. The same employee handles HVAC, plumbing and electrical work. Turf maintenance competes with all of those demands for limited hours.

The YMCA of Central Ohio operates 12 locations. At Hilliker, three of the facility’s four acres of turf are used for outdoor programming, including summer camps, youth sports, teen leadership clubs and more. Those programs depend on grass that is short and even enough for children and adults to use safely.

At the YMCA’s Hilliard and Grove City locations, lawns around outdoor pools are used by swim teams in the early morning and by members relaxing around the pool later in the day. That all-day use schedule leaves landscaping contractors a narrow window for mowing—and some weeks there is no workable opening.

The result can be an overgrown lawn and more weeds and insects. “It not only makes the area look unkept, but increases the pressure from broadleaf weeds and the stinging insects that frequent the weed’s flowers,” Little said.

For sports fields, the consequences of overgrown grass can include tripping hazards for athletes and attracting difficult-to-spot ticks. For some facilities, missing one mowing cycle can be enough to temporarily close a field.

‘Hit in the face’ in Maryland

Officiant crews similarly feel the pinch of disappearing staff. Umpires spend upwards of $500 on training and uniforms, equipping themselves to make whip-fast judgement calls during gameplay—yet about 70% of sports officials leave after one year, according to Bill Topp, president of the National Association of Sports Officials.

In one Maryland suburb, a youth baseball umpire reported getting “hit in the face, groin, shin, foot, hand and head,” during athletic action, while being paid just $40 per game. At least 50% of sports officials report fearing for their safety when tough calls spark heated exchanges between spectators, according to a 2023 survey of 35,000 referees.

This growing thanklessness of labor like lawncare and officiating might explain why, in nearby Baltimore City, recent municipal budgets allocated $1 million towards administrative roles, but left one of its 14 districts without a youth recreation center or pool, a choice that attracted scrutiny.

What departments are trying

Little says Hilliker has been paying an outside landscaping contractor to mow 28 times per year. The annual cost for that is $9,372, or just under $335 per week during the non-winter months. He recently tested a robo-mower and expects a one-time purchase of automated mowing fleets to replace the annual cost year over year.

Parks departments and nonprofit centers are also using several other approaches to manage labor costs and maintain their grounds.

Contractor consolidation and shared services

Some local governments are combining and sharing grounds-maintenance work between multiple government departments or neighboring agencies.

In Bergen County, New Jersey, officials approved a two-year shared-services agreement in June 2026 between the municipality and Bergen Community College. The deal covers mowing, landscaping, athletic-field maintenance and maintenance-garage management.

In Lebanon Township, New Jersey, a 2026 resolution provides the local school district with mowing, snow removal, equipment hauling and loans for certain pieces of machinery, all funded by the municipality.

Volunteer and community programs

Some park systems have shifted part of their maintenance workload to the organizations using their fields. More specifically, they shift work to the volunteers who support those organizations.

Fairfax County, Virginia, has an adopt-a-field program in which local sports teams and leagues sign up to maintain a designated field. The county describes the program as a partnership between the park authority and community athletic organizations and says that it “fosters a sense of pride.”

Wage and schedule changes

Communities around the U.S. have started raising seasonal pay to attract workers who can handle the jobs required to keep athletic programming alive.

City officials in Plainview, Minnesota, increased seasonal pay in 2025 by 1.5%, which brought their seasonal mower rate to $15.83 an hour and $14.78 for trimmers.

Automation

Robotic mowers are entering the mix at parks and recreation facilities nationwide to account for the shortage of labor.

In Gwinnett County, Georgia, an autonomous mower was deployed at a 10-acre soccer facility after conventional equipment broke down. Mowing the group of fields had previously required 25 hours of staff time each week, but required virtually zero once groundskeepers turned to automation.

As the YMCA of Central Ohio tests autonomous mowers at its Hilliker location in Bellefontaine, Little said the organization plans to purchase another unit and maintain the whole property with autonomous equipment for its 2027 season.

When there aren't enough workers, the grass still grows

The labor shortage parks and recreation departments face is part of a larger workforce problem. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported in May 2026 that the labor force participation rate has been declining for 26 years. It sat at about 66% in 2000 and fell to the low 60s during the pandemic. Since 2021, it’s hovered between 62% and 63%.

When organizations and cities deprioritize outdoor recreation, children feel the consequences most. It’s a public health matter, as participation in childhood sports is closely linked with benefits like improved mood, social bonding and even a reduction in chronic disease.

But community centers and parks don’t get to wait for the labor market to catch up. The grass still needs mowing, and children’s memories still need to be made.

This story was produced by Navimow and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.