FOLEY, Ala. - A group of residents and youth baseball and softball activists are asking the city of Foley for assistance in beginning a Fall ball program in the city starting in 2012.

William Stewart, a Foley youth baseball coach, came to the Foley City Council work session Monday and pleaded with the council members for more fields this year so his team could practice and play games in Foley and become more competitive against other local youth teams. Foley baseball teams are considered an easy win by other baseball teams, Stewart said, and he would like to see a full-fledged Fall youth baseball and softball program started in 2012 because the lack of one is causing young enthusiasts to play in other cities' Fall leagues.

"We're falling way behind for when we get to the high school level," Stewart told the council, noting other Baldwin County cities have Fall baseball programs and it helps improve the quality of those cities' high school teams.

"We're asking for use of the parks."

One positive coming from more baseball in Foley, Stewart said, is a potential increase in revenue for the city.

"It will bring in revenue. Spanish Fort will come over here to play. Bay Minette will come here to play. Fairhope will come here to play," he said, noting parents will shop at local merchants during practices and games.

Stewart said he started a Foley team for the upcoming Fall season and 48 local kids in the 9-to-10-year-old age group wanted to join.

"We put the first 12 to show up on the team," he said, noting the team will play in the Fairhope league, which includes 16 games played between August and November, but still wants fields in Foley to practice on.

City officials: baseball and softball not primary focus in Fall

The reason for the limited field space for baseball and softball in the Fall months is due to football and soccer teams also needing fields.

"Baseball and softball right now is the secondary sport," David Thompson, city recreation directo, said, noting soccer and football gains the most attention in the Fall but in the Spring season it flips and baseball and softball become a focus.

"The biggest issue right now is fields."

According to Thompson, football teams are using the city's baseball fields and soccer teams are using the soccer fields.

"We don't have enough fields to do secondary seasons. When you start doing secondary leagues, there is more competition for fields with primary seasons," city administrator Michael Thompson said, noting the long-term solution is to build more baseball fields but the short-term fix is to build more soccer fields and move soccer practice from the Cedar Street fields.

Mayor John Koniar said soccer fields are cheaper and quicker to build.