7 On Your Side helps family get refund after travel baseball team's season canceled
UNION COUNTY, New Jersey (WABC) -- As the baseball season starts up, families with aspiring sluggers are signing up their kids for travel baseball and softball.
A Union County family says their season and their money were taken away from their son and his team last year.
Mom and dad brought in their closer, 7 On Your Side.
"It made me sad because I wanted to play baseball," 12-year-old Marco Penoro said.
Meanwhile, his mother was just as upset by the move. "It's so disappointing, it's frustrating, and it's so sad," she added.
Aside from the ones thrown by his dad, 12-year-old Marco never got to catch any fly balls last summer.
"They canceled the summer season," Marco said.
"He didn't play; we would throw the ball around in the backyard," his father Bernard said.
After signing up for spring and summer travel baseball, the coach threw a curveball and abruptly canceled the Union County summer club's season.
He stated he'll be "refunding the families for the lost season."
The coach blamed it on a lack of participation, citing that only seven players showed up for games, a problem that extended to practice, "making it near impossible for the coach to develop the players."
But parents like the Penoros say the players weren't the problem.
"We only saw one coach, multiple canceled practices," Bernard Penoro said.
And the league wasn't cheap. A spot on the roster costs $1,500 per season.
They paid $3,000 total.
In June, the boys of summer took their ball and went home, which was too late to join another program.
They waited months for the promised refund.
"How many times have you asked for a refund? " 7 On Your Side's Nina Pineda asked.
"I can't even keep count," Bernard Penoro said.
"Five, six, seven times maybe," Marco's mother, Sonia said.
7 On Your Side contacted the coach.
The coach said that despite taking a major financial hit in the age group because of prepaid tournaments they didn't play in, he was more than happy to settle this and give their money back.
"We got the money back, we got the refund for the season," Sonia said. "And it's all because of you guys."
Marcos new field of dreams is now in Kenilworth, where he plays with a new travel baseball team.
"It's so nice to get that money back and it will go a long way for us as a family," Sonia said. "So thank you, Channel 7 and thank you, Nina, and thank you 7 On Your Side."
Watch Nina Pineda's report from Eyewitness News at 6 a.m.:
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