DNSL: Aiding Child Recreation in Detroit

Detroit Neighborhood Softball League, or DNSL, is a not for profit adult recreational athletic league with teams based in different Detroit neighborhoods. Heading into our 8th season, we are making some changes to the league and working towards more community outreach through volunteering and field clean-up/maintenance. Currently consisting of 12 teams, DNSL league members exemplify the variety of professionals within the city from community leaders, teachers, farmers, lawyers, to many more.

In 2017, DNSL is focused on working with Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) through baseball clinics and Opening Day support. In order to ensure an all around fun and safe experience for the children in PAL as well as the youth of Detroit, we are working to establish a field maintenance tool library and committee. Working in conjunction with city resources, DNSL is striving to maintain the fields at Maheras Gentry Park, on the city’s east side, as well as clean-up and maintain various other fields throughout the city during the season.

Members of DNSL are proud and active member's in the Detroit community and are striving to continue beautifying the city's fields so they can be enjoyed by all.

1. Purchase flat shovels, grading rakes, scoop shovels, landscape rakes, and gavel.

2. Assemble the field maintenance committee.

3. Clean-up Maheras Gentry fields.

DNSL is striving to improve the relationship and presence in our neighborhoods and desire to have parks that are safe for everyone in the city to use. Often times, sports fields throughout the city are misused by members of the community, which often leads to poor field conditions such as tire tracks and ruts in the infields, broken glass, and trash which deters children and adults alike from partaking in recreational sports.

Additionally, there are children looking to get involved in athletic programs that are unfortunately unable to afford league costs. Thankfully, here in Detroit, PAL offers the opportunity to sponsor these children. PAL’s average cost to sponsor a child is about $250 and as an organization, we’re going to do our part and make sure that 2 more children will have the opportunity to participate on a team in their city. Because we as a league believe in the power, fun and discipline that accompanies participating in an athletic league, we hope for the opportunity to use any budget surpluses to sponsor additional children through PAL.