Athletics
Annual
Report
20
24
1
Table of Contents
Division Overview
Customer Service
Field Use Agreements
Field Reservations
TEAM HC
Charter Schools
SouthShore Sportsplex
Inspections
Adult Sports
Tournaments
2
Division
Overview
Get ready to explore the game-changing impact
of Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation's
Athletics Division! Managing 50 top-tier sports
complexes and maintaining 290 fields, we partner
with 49 leagues and support 110 competitive
baseball teams. From countless field reservations
to
thousands of passionate athletes, our
programs have made a difference for over 35,437
participants this year—and we’re just getting
started. Buckle up as we dive into the numbers
behind these impressive stats and uncover
what’s driving the future of community sports in
Hillsborough County!
3
Customer Emails Received
7,402
Customer Response Time
24
hours
Customer Field
Reservations Initiated
203
Customer Service
4
PRK-Fields@HCFL.gov
The athletics team primarily uses its PRK Inbox as the main method of communication and
customer service. This system allows the team to efficiently track and manage customer
inquiries. Emails range from general questions about Hillsborough County sports
complexes to inquiries about joining a league. However, the majority of emails come from
potential customer seeking a field reservation that meets their specific needs.
49
3,382
88,680
Volunteer Hours
35,437
814
31
Agreement Holder
Youth Sports
Organizations
Field Use Agreement Holders
By The Numbers
5
Volunteers
Reported Participants
Compliance Documents
Collected
Complaints / Incidents
Tracked
Hillsborough County Athletics partners with non-profit youth sports organizations (YSOs) through long-term
field use agreements to provide youth programming for county residents. These agreements grant YSOs
priority access to sports complexes in exchange for operating their programs in accordance with county rules
and guidelines. To ensure compliance and maintain program quality, each organization submits nearly 20
compliance documents annually, demonstrating that they are meeting the community's needs.
Recreational
Players
Competitive
Players
Participants
28,828
6
6,609
Complaints/Incidents
In 2024, the Athletics Division recognized an increasing number
of complaints and reports from citizens, league participants—
including coaches and parents—staff, and other community
members regarding issues with youth sports leagues and sports
complexes. To better understand these incidents and identify
areas for improvement, the team implemented a systematic
approach to tracking each report.
Every reported incident requires staff time to assess the
situation, determine its validity, and,
if necessary, take
disciplinary action in accordance with the Field Use Agreement
each league holds with the County. While some reports can be
reviewed and resolved in minutes, others demand days, weeks,
or even months of thorough investigation, requiring extensive
staff time and resources.
By formalizing this process, the Athletics Division is working to
enhance
transparency, accountability, and
the overall
experience for all participants in Hillsborough County’s youth
sports programs.
7
Fighting
7
Org.
Management
7
Trash /
Restrooms
4
Unauthorized
Use
3
Coaching
Concerns
2
Gate Fees
2
Volunteer
Compliance
2
Signs /
Banners
2
Compliance
Documents
1
Unauthorized
Improvement
1
Complaints/Incidents
8
Most Notable
Parent Group
vs
East Bay Youth Athletics
Required 60 staff hours to investigate.
Keeping Youth Sports
Partners Informed:
The GAME ON YSO Newsletter
69 Subscribers
9
54.4%
Open Rate
6.3% Click Rate
Most Clicked Link
Level II Background
Check Resource Guide
To ensure that the Athletics Division’s 49 youth sports partners
stay informed about updates to County policies and procedures,
state statutes, and other important youth sports news, the team
created the GAME ON YSO newsletter.
This newsletter is distributed to the president of each partnered
league, with encouragement to share it with their board
members. Each issue includes reminders about compliance
document deadlines, updates on law changes, field maintenance
best practices, and tips for running a successful nonprofit
organization.
By providing timely and relevant information, the GAME ON YSO
newsletter helps youth sports organizations remain compliant,
efficient, and well-equipped to serve their athletes and
communities.
12,389
18,806
Field Reservation
Managing Field Reservations to
Support Safe and Organized Sports
Field
Reservations
Reservation
Hours
10
$564,189.55 Revenue
Generated
In addition to overseeing partnered youth sports leagues, the
Athletics Division also manages hundreds of field reservation
requests from non-partnered organizations and individuals seeking
practice space, tournament venues, or locations to establish new
adult or youth sports leagues.
Each reservation request from a youth sports organization requires
staff to collect and verify all necessary compliance documents,
ensuring adherence to the same standards as our partnered leagues.
This includes background checks, first aid and CPR certification, as
well as concussion and heat exhaustion training for volunteers.
Every
reservation
involves
hours
of
behind-the-scenes
administrative work to confirm that customers are operating safe
and compliant programs for our community’s youth. By maintaining
these high standards, the Athletics Division helps create a secure
and well-organized environment for all sports participants.
Reservation Request By Sport
11
Soccer
30.7%
Football
28.7%
Baseball
11.9%
Softball
9.9%
Kickball
6.9%
Flag Football
5.9%
Lacrosse
5.9%
Skyway Sports
Complex
1,102
Top Reservation Locations
12
West Park
Sports Complex
1,150
Northlakes
Sports Complex
1,113
SouthShore
Sportsplex
845
Rubin Padgett
Sports Complex
709
Shimberg
Sports Complex
600
Burnett Sports
Complex
590
Ed Radice Sports
Complex
557
1,320
110
220
TEAM HC Program
Preserving Recreational Baseball
in Hillsborough County
Youth
Players
Active
Teams
13
Coaches
237
Waitlisted
Teams
More than five years ago, the Hillsborough County Athletics Division identified an
alarming trend in youth baseball—the rise of travel baseball was fracturing traditional
recreational programs across the country. Parents were pulling their children from
recreation leagues to pursue what they believed were higher-level opportunities in travel
tournaments. As a result, many of our partnered recreation leagues were being overtaken
by travel baseball organizations, ultimately pushing recreational play out of County
facilities.
To preserve the integrity of recreational baseball and ensure that leagues operating
under Field Use Agreements were fulfilling their mission, we created TEAM HC. This
program established a clear distinction between recreational and travel baseball,
ensuring that partnered organizations maintained a strong focus on community-based
play.
Additionally, four facilities where recreational leagues had dissolved, TEAM HC provided
a structured, low-cost alternative for travel ball teams to operate under the guidance and
oversight of the Athletics Division. This approach ensured that travel baseball could
continue without displacing recreational programs and while maintaining compliance
with County standards.
Today, TEAM HC continues to bridge the gap between travel and recreational baseball,
ensuring that youth athletes have opportunities to play at every level while preserving
access to high-quality recreational sports in Hillsborough County.
Revenue
Generated
Sports
Complexes
TEAM HC
$151,200
14
20
Supporting Charter Schools
with Athletic Field Access
15
566
Field Hours
38
Participating Schools
$17,000
Revenue Generated
Hillsborough County continues to see a rapid increase in the number of charter schools opening each
year. Unfortunately, most of these schools lack dedicated athletic facilities, leaving student-athletes
without proper spaces for practice and competition.
As a result, the responsibility of finding and providing field space for these schools has increasingly fallen
on the Hillsborough County Athletics Division. Our team works diligently to accommodate these needs
while balancing the demands of existing youth sports programs, community leagues, and other field
users. By strategically managing field availability, we strive to ensure that all student-athletes have
access to safe, high-quality facilities to support their growth and development.
16
SouthShore Sportsplex
A Premier Sports Complex
The Southshore Sportsplex is one of the County’s most distinctive sports
complexes, operating under a different model than the 47 other Hillsborough
County facilities. Most county-owned complexes operate through a Field Use
Agreement (FUA), which grants non-profit youth organizations priority access to the
facility for running youth sports programs such as Little League Baseball, Pop
Warner Football, and Youth Soccer. Typically, these programs serve between 200 to
800 kids. This prioritization of league usage often poses challenges for the public
and other organizations seeking to utilize the facility. Moreover, individuals who are
dissatisfied with how the program in their immediate community is managed have
limited alternative program options nearby.

At Southshore Sportsplex, no single organization can claim exclusive ownership.
Instead, multiple organizations can rent the facility for their programming needs.
This approach provides the community with a diverse range of programming
options while ensuring that some fields remain available for public use. Families and
individuals can enjoy free, unorganized pickup games and training sessions almost
every afternoon and evening.
Furthermore, the sports complex can effectively schedule dates for large
tournaments by coordinating all activities through field reservations. In its
inaugural year, the site has served over 2,000 unique participants through league
sports, offered free open play opportunities to hundreds of individuals each night,
and hosted six regional and national tournaments. These events have drawn visitors
from across the country to the Southshore community, providing an economic
boost to surrounding businesses.
SouthShore Sportsplex
17
12
League Organizations
6
800
Participants
Soccer
4
3,750
Participants
Flag Football
1
60
Participants
Lacrosse
4
40
Participants
Kickball
$89,646.83
Total Revenue
8
Tournaments
$12,559.18
6,000
Participants
18
Revenue
Generated
SouthShore Sportsplex
Open Play
Nights
Open Play
Participants
280
19
19,600
SouthShore Sportsplex
A Premier Sports Complex
Despite the hundreds of fields available throughout Hillsborough
County, finding an open field for casual recreation—whether to play
catch, exercise, or enjoy a game of pickup soccer—can be
challenging. The majority of field space is allocated to organized
programs through Field Use Agreements or field reservations,
leaving limited opportunities for unstructured public play.
To address this issue, the SouthShore Sportsplex has committed to
keeping at least one field open for Public Use Open Play every night.
This initiative ensures that residents have a dedicated space to
enjoy sports and recreation on their own terms, promoting a more
active and accessible community.
880
Non-League Inspections
Sports Complex Inspections
Ensuring Safe and Well-Maintained Sports Facilities
Inspections
891
20
11
League Inspections
Common Issues
Unlocked Doors
Dirty Restrooms
Park Litter
Clogged Toilets
Managing and maintaining hundreds of fields and 49 sports complexes across Hillsborough County is a challenging and ongoing
responsibility. The Athletics Division plays a critical role in keeping these facilities safe, functional, and well-maintained for the
community.
Athletics staff conduct regular inspections to assess field conditions, building maintenance, cleanliness, and overall safety. In
addition to facility checks, the team also performs league inspections to ensure organizations are complying with their Field Use
Agreements, properly badging volunteers, adhering to safety protocols, and maintaining a clean and secure environment.
When maintenance issues are identified during inspections, a work order is promptly submitted to the Parks Services team for
resolution. This proactive approach helps preserve the quality of County sports facilities while ensuring that athletes, families, and
visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience.
Adult Sports
21
Adult
Players
2,235
Teams
149
Softball Leagues
Ed Radice
Sports Complex
William Owen Pass
Sports Complex
Revenue
$52,150
Adult
Players
2,470
Teams
190
Revenue
$66,500
Senior
Players
287
Teams
24
In addition to providing youth sports through partnerships with YSOs, renting fields, managing the TEAM HC program, and inspecting sports facilities, the
Hillsborough County Athletics team also oversees two adult softball programs. These programs have been a staple for adults in the County for over 30 years and
are managed out of Ed Radice Sports Complex and William Owen Pass Sports Complex. They play a vital role in offering fun, safe, and healthy activities for
residents of all ages, with a particular benefit to the many seniors who participate, helping them stay active and engaged in the community.
Reservation
Revenue
Generated
Tournaments
Tournaments
$37,445
22
10
Concession
Revenue
Generated
$23,269
As previously identified in this report, travel baseball plays a
significant role in Hillsborough County youth sports. In 2022, the
Parks and Recreation Department recognized that, despite
having over 100 teams participating in the TEAM HC program,
there were very few travel baseball opportunities within the
County. As a result, many residents were traveling outside the
County for tournaments, spending money on gas, food, and
lodging in other communities. To address this, the department
prioritized revitalizing several parks and fields to attract
tournaments to Hillsborough County. These efforts have been
successful, with 10 travel baseball tournaments scheduled
through the Athletics team in 2024 and more than 22 planned for
2025.