A vandal or vandals did extensive damage to three soccer fields at the Prospect Boys and Girls Club in Franklin Township over the weekend by driving over them in a vehicle, tearing up the grass and leaving ruts.

“They were definitely doing 'doughnuts' in the fields,” Shane Galino, president of the Prospect Soccer Club, said of the unknown suspect or suspects. “It looks like it was just a joyride at the kids' expense.”

A damage estimate was not immediately available. Officials for the nonprofit club have contacted state police, authorities said.

A call to police was not immediately returned Monday.

Justin Jabaut, one of the club's vice presidents, discovered the vandalism Sunday when he drove to the facility on Country Club Road.

“I stopped by to see how the grass was going,” he said. “I was confused at first. I wasn't exactly sure what it was.”

He got out of his vehicle and walked around.

“It was obvious someone intentionally drove on the fields,” Jabaut said.

He sent a text message to Galino along with photos of the damage.

“My heart sunk when I got the pictures,” Galino said. “It was very upsetting.”

Later Sunday afternoon, he drove out to make his own inspection.

The damage, he said, was done to three of the four usable soccer fields at the facility, which also has an additional unused soccer field and two baseball fields.

Galino described the damage as taking up the length and width of three fields. “Judging from the tracks,” he said, it appeared that the vehicle entered onto the field from the far end of the parking lot near the pavilion.

Afterward, it looked like the vehicle left at the opposite end of the third field near the bleachers.

“They tore it up pretty well,” Galino said.

By the tire tracks, he said, it appeared only one vehicle was involved. His measurements indicated the tire width was 7 inches, and the wheelbase was 4 feet, 2 inches.

“The wheelbase,” he said, “is consistent with a car or a small crossover vehicle.”

It didn't take long for news of the vandalism to spread.

“Based on the feedback,” Galino said, “everybody is very upset. Both the parents and kids have a lot of time invested into their season. A lot of carelessness and thoughtlessness went into what was done.”

About 80 boys and girls, ages 3 to 14, had registered for the spring season. “It was a phenomenal registration this year,” Galino said.

But because of the coronavirus pandemic, the season remains on hold. Normally the beginning of April marks the start of practice.

“The silver lining in this,” Galino said, “is that the season has been delayed due to COVID-19 so we have a lot of time to fix up these fields.”

The cost of the repairs and time it will take is unclear. But he noted that it takes “a lot of preparation and a lot of volunteers” to get the fields ready.

Galino said he hoped to have a timetable for the repair work “within the next few weeks.”

Club officials, meanwhile, asked that anyone with information to call police at 724-284-8100.