Wake-up call for Byram

To the Editor: I am ready for change in Byram. For years our town has had shady boundaries when districting our youth recreation programs. Our recreation football program is run for the most part by people who live and pay taxes to Newton and Green. It is a shame that our town has allowed people who do not live in the sending district of Lenape Valley High School to coach, run and have their children take part in our recreation department. How can this be? I don’t see Sparta allowing coaches and kids from Newton in their program. It is time for change. As a parent of older boys who attend Lenape and play sports, I see how important it is to come from a strong feeder program with children they have grown and developed with. It makes no sense to develop an athlete who will attend Newton High School. It is bad enough that we fight Pope John for plucking at our better athletes. Now we have to lose players to Newton? It would make more sense if the parents who live in the Newton/Green area would take their children to the programs that filter into Newton so they can develop with their peers. Why would you go a town over to play any sport without your classmates? What about the Byram child who sits on the bench or never develops for Lenape? Recently, two children were found to be part of Newton’s sending district in Hobb Engler Little League. When questioned on having the proper paperwork, they suddenly returned to their rightful league. However, they had been here illegally for six years. What Byram needs to understand is that if those children registered this year, it would have cost us a two-year suspension. Fortunately, they left before the league could take action. How could this happen? Maybe you should ask Hobb Engler Little League’s board, which is run by the grandmother of the two Newton children. For being part of a committee of Byram residents that reported this to the league, my husband is no longer allowed to coach a team, which he has done for the past 12 years. The decision was made by the same Hobb Engler board that put Byram little leaguers at risk of a two-year suspension. Now we see why people don’t get involved or speak up. Shame on them. Sandra Pregno Byram