City bans girls softball team from parks for violating COVID-19 safe practices

"We just became more convinced that that was the right thing to do when we had a small number of people who have just refused to comply,” said Dave Simon, director of the Parks and Recreation Department.

The coach of the team, Julian Muniz, has a problem with that.

They had signs that says six foot distancing, or whatever. We had the girls out. Everyone was distancing,” he said.

Muniz said a man in an unmarked truck was taking pictures of the girls practicing, which he said seemed suspicious.

"He said he was with the city, tried pulling out some paperwork. We called the cops on him. Cops came and said, ‘No you guys are fine, you guys continue practicing doing what you're doing,’” Muniz said.

The Parks and Recreation Department said the man in the vehicle was a city employee and a softball park monitor.

The city provided documentation of multiple instances of disregard for the public health order and threatening interactions with parents and coaches.

Muniz said that’s not the case.

"It's very upsetting, but like I was saying, it may be a blessing in disguise, because you go over there and you're constantly, as it is here, there's needles all over. There's people sleeping all over,” he said.

Dave Simon said the actions of the coach and the parents are disheartening.

“I think it's very disappointing when adults let kids down, and as mentors these coaches should be following the rules and telling the truth,” Simon said.

“That's not really a problem here, I think. Our city employees will identify themselves. Often they are in a city insignia, sometimes they're not, but it’s immaterial. Once they identify themselves as a city employee they're there to help voluntarily, encourage compliance. I think that should be the end of that issue,” he added.

Simon said banning people is a last resort and city employees should be identifying themselves upfront. As for the Firecrackers, they won’t be allowed to play in city parks until 2021.