P.A.L. makes improvements to help kids

TAMPA - The Police Athletic League of Tampa is one of the oldest after-school programs aimed at keeping kids out of trouble, and it's recently undergone through some much needed changes.

"This was our old football field and this is exactly what are grass looked like," P.A.L. Athletic Director Josh Penny told FOX 13's Alcides Segui as they toured the recreational fields.

Just a couple of months ago, brown grass littered the fields at the park. But that's not the case anymore.

Through private donations and city grants, the park has gone through a $600,000 renovation. New sod, a concession stand and more fields are part of the upgrade.

"When we were able to restore it we had a full regulation football field, full regulation soccer field. Two youths' soccer fields," Penney said.

And that's not all. The group is hoping to build a little league baseball facility by next spring.

P.A.L. provides a safe after-school option for approximately 100 children.

The more than 40-year-old facility has seen tens of thousands of kids walk through its doors. The latest generation was left with a beat up park.

"It was hard because you would like start playing and our cleats would slip into the dirt and you would get stuck. Because our cleats would dig into the dirt and you would trip," said Sara Kenny, one of many children in the program.

The lush green is also bringing in a different type of green, money. P.A.L. is renting the fields to the public.

"We wanted these fields to be a source of income to be able to keep our prices at the same," Penney said.

The extra income helps maintain low prices on after-school care. For more information on the Police Athletic League (P.A.L.) of Tampa, click on over to paltampa.org.