Home »
Why OYO
Why should you choose the Oaklandon Youth Organization instead of other leagues in the community? When families come to OYO (from Lawrence and from as far as Greenfield, Fortville, Noblesville, Anderson, Tipton, Speedway, Greenwood and more), they become part of the OYO Family.
Whether an elderly fan needs help to reach the field of his/her favorite ballplayer; if an injured player requires attention; for reliable coaching and player development; or if you’re looking for a familiar and friendly face to sit with at the ballgames, OYO delivers. Most of our families look forward to their evenings and Saturdays at the ballpark. These are examples of The OYO Way – and we work hard to ensure we meet this standard.
Founded
1975, all-volunteer
Players
2,000+ every year
Home Field
Veterans Memorial Park: 14 fields, 3 batting cages, 2 concession stands
20 Reasons Families Choose OYO
Following are some specific examples of how we deliver, and what your family can expect:
Fair Play Rules Ensure Many Opportunities for Your Player
OYO is a fair-play league focusing on player participation, training, and development. We like to develop players with overall skills. OYO has rules that require every player to play infield and outfield at least one inning per game. Also, no player can sit out a second inning unless all of the other players have sat at least one inning.
Multiple Teams in Each Division, So You’ll Face Different Opponents Regularly
You won’t get tired of playing the same teams over and over. The wide appeal of our program helps ensure that you won’t play the same teams as often because OYO offers multiple teams in each division.
Start and Finish with One Program
Not only are we a program that begins at age 4 for all young boys and girls, and our baseball and softball players can participate through the age of 16.
One Place for Spring Ball and Fall Ball
If you plan to play more than one season, then we offer the best in both.
All-star Program
We offer an all-star program for interested rec league players who are seeking more baseball and softball than what our traditional rec season brings. What’s more, we also offer a full-time travel baseball and softball program too under the OYO umbrella.
Full-time Travel/all-star Program, Too
We also offer a full-time travel baseball and softball program, too, under the OYO umbrella for baseball players ages 7-15 and softball players ages 9-18.
Our Communication Keeps You in the Loop
We strive to keep all our families informed all the time. Whether it is via informative weekly emails, a comprehensive website, or even a custom team page built by your coach or team parent, you will be in the know. LeagueApps is the one-stop resource that ensures communication is seamless.
Code of Conduct
OYO participants have adhered to a Code of Conduct for nearly a decade to help ensure a positive experience for everyone involved – and it is enforced when violated.
Largest Core Set of Volunteers of Any Program
Not only do we enjoy the support and assistance of 300 head coaches, assistant coaches, and team parents to ensure a successful season, the league is managed and operated by an elected, all-volunteer Board of Directors comprising of more than 45 OYO parents and other supporters.
Best Concession Stands
We offer a full-service facility that includes two full-service concession stands with public restrooms. Our concession stands provide a quality experience and a wide array of hot and cold food items and beverages at very competitive prices.
The Most Fields…and a Commitment to Make Continuous Improvements
We offer a full-service facility that includes 14 quality fields, three batting cages, covered dugout rooftops with concrete floors and sheltered seating areas. We’re in the process of building a short-term and long-term plan to improve each and every field at OYO during the next several seasons.
No Concession Stand or Umpire Assignments
We provide an efficient concession stand operation that allows you to sit back and watch your ballplayer enjoy his/her game. Moreover, we provide a quality umpire program that allows you to limit your visits to the ballpark for only when your ballplayer plays.
No Long Lines at Evaluation Sessions
We use an elaborate system to evaluate players at the end of each season, and we capture new player evaluations at the time of registration. As a result, you and your ballplayer won’t have to stand in long lines to participate in an ineffective pre-season evaluation. Does it work? Yes, when we follow the processes and procedures for building teams, we earn more net-positive scores in our end-of-the-season surveys of our families. Since your time is important to us, we put in the effort behind the scenes to save you time on your weekends and evenings during the offseason!
Protecting Our Youth: Background Checks Conducted
All our Board members and coaches are screened to ensure our children participate in a safe, healthy environment.
Commitment to Safety
We have a Safety Director on our Board and policies to deal with dangerous weather conditions and medical emergencies. What’s more, we also have two AEDs onsite (located in each concession stand) for any heart-related medical emergency experienced on the premises.
Personal Info Security
OYO has partnered with LeagueApps to secure all your data and transaction information 100% of the time with login requirements and online security certifications. Your security is important to us.
Your Opinion Counts
We listen to your feedback. OYO has implemented a formal opportunity for families to express their feedback about their experience. The feedback received from the OYO Satisfaction Survey has resulted in many enhancements.
Every Player Can Play at OYO Financial Means Notwithstanding
This is a long-standing tradition since OYO has been founded in 1975. We believe financial means should never keep a young ballplayer from taking the field. As a result, we have a scholarship program available for families to assist with their registration fees, in part or full.
Robust Sponsorship Program Keeps OYO Affordable
We work hard each and every season to seek support from our regional business community and businesses where our families are employed around Central Indiana. The financial support we received is greatly appreciated and helps keep our registration fees low while providing top-quality premises and experiences for all our ballplayers.
Long-standing Tradition
Since 1975, OYO has offered a strong, consistent player development-focused program for every player at every level — rec league, all stars and full time travel — all year long.
Ask any family who has joined us from another area league if they made the right decision. If you are new and considering making the switch, then let us connect you with a family who used to participate in your league and they can tell you first hand about The OYO Way.
We hope those are plenty of reasons to join – and return – to the OYO program. Check us out today – and like thousands of other families, you won’t be disappointed! Experience The OYO Way!
The OYO Way
Guiding principles. They are more than merely a series of slogans to be referenced when the going gets tough. They define and shape any organization that adopts them. And at OYO, we’ve seen how guiding principles can pay off – in what we refer to as our very own The OYO Way.
The OYO Way was developed because we believe the coach-to-player or even board member-to-family relationship can and should last a lifetime. The friendships among teammates can be just as rewarding. Yet, they don’t stop there as it can extend to any combination of people involving our fans, ballplayers, coaches, team parents, scorekeepers, board members, umpires, sponsors and more.
When we consider the impact The OYO Way can have in our league, we reflect on four stories we’ve heard recently.
- One adult shared how he still keeps in touch, including exchanging Christmas cards, with almost every member of an all-star team he participated on when he was 11 years old.
- There’s another story about how one of our parents commented how a ball he received from his coach with a short end-of-season note of encouragement written on it. The parents commented on the lasting impact the coach had on the now-teenage ballplayer with that ball and how he still proudly displays the ball in his home as a way of remembering those highlights from his childhood.
- A parent explained how his child had to do a school homework project requiring him to cite the two teachers who had the most profound impact on his life to date. The child selected a school teacher and his baseball coach.
- And recently, one of our families experienced a very tragic health matter that would require a long road to recovery. One of the first groups they contacted with an update and a message of gratitude was OYO in response to a remarkable rally of organization and individual support and offers for assistance.
At OYO, the guiding principles we share every season at our coaches’ meetings prior to every spring and fall season are simple:
- Development – Teach solid fundamental baseball and softball skills to all players
- Respect – Create a positive feeling of esteem and memorable experiences for every individual you interact with
- Life Lessons – Take advantage of opportunities to show players how teamwork can overcome challenges
- Fairness – Apply fair play standards that encourages players participating in our rec leagues to be rotated regularly
- Character – Lead by example and demonstrate the impact of volunteerism to your parents and players
Have you seen members of the OYO community carry out “The OYO Way”? If so, thank them because they represent the best of OYO – and are the very reason OYO is the place to be for you and your ballplayer.
