Merrick PAL soccer puts safety first after pit bull attack

When two pit bulls attacked a woman at the Brookside School in North Merrick on Sept. 29, Merrick PAL soccer immediately cancelled practices for that day at Brookside and moved several travel games for the weekend to Fayette School Elementary School in Merrick.

One of the pit bulls was shot dead by police on the day of the attack, but the other escaped and remains at large, so the Merrick Police Activity League moved soccer games and practices from Brookside to Fayette until further notice by police.

“Protecting our children and their families is our first priority,” said Skip Haile, who handles operations and logistics for the club, and who is a North Merrick and Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Board of Education trustee.

The club quickly moved two regulation-size goals from Brookside to Fayette. “Thanks to the cooperation from the teams and the many volunteers, we were able to reorganize Fayette so that intramural games and travel games could all be played there,” said Margaret Reed, one of the club’s intramural soccer coordinators. “In fact, it was great to see all the players cheer each other on.”

Ed Serreo, the police officer in charge of the Merrick PAL unit, said, “Volunteers make this club what it is, and we’re lucky to have people who pitch in every weekend to move goals, schedule games and just get things done. Merrick PAL exists for the kids in our community, and without hesitation, we do what we can to provide a safe and fun place for all of them to play the sports they love.”