Posts by Michael DeSanto

OYO Fans,

After a year of a pandemic that canceled our 2020 parade and season, a pre-season of snow and rain, we’re ready for a great stretch of weather leading up to Opening Day and the chance to say “Let’s Play Ball!”

On Saturday, April 17, our ballplayers and families will take part in our Opening Day festivities for our 46th annual season of baseball and softball! To help you begin making plans, here are some of the details you should note (and all are subject to change):

Arrival for Parade | Coaches should arrive by 8 a.m. and players/families may begin arriving at Oaklandon Elementary (6702 Oaklandon Road) at 8:15 a.m. Families are encouraged to park in the south parking lot of the church lot across the street and walk their player to their designated team meeting spot (download map).

Parade and Festivities | The parade will begin at 9 a.m. followed by brief announcements, presentations and ceremonial first pitches at OYO. All players will walk to OYO with the support of a police escort managing traffic to ensure a safe and positive experience, including timely closures of Oaklandon Road and Pendleton Pike for safe crossings.

Attire for Walking in the Parade | Players are encouraged to dress warm and wear tennis shoes (not cleats) for the parade. They also should be in uniform!

Mask Requirements | To be in compliance with Marion County Public Health Department recommendations, we’re asking all coaches and players participating in the parade (or meeting up with their ballplayers at the park at the end of the parade route) to wear masks during the parade procession.

Game Times | Every team will play one game (and a couple teams may have doubleheaders). The season opens with first round of games at 11 a.m. Please review your schedule in LeagueApps for game times and field assignments.

Drop-off Procedures | Parents should drop their child off in front of the school between 8:15-8:45 a.m. Here are some helpful tips to consider:

• No parking at the school is allowed.
• Parking across the street in the south lot of the church is available.
• Lawrence Police will be available to direct you where to park.

Once a ballplayer connects with his/her team, then the parent has three options:

• Proceed to OYO/Veterans Memorial Park to await for their child(ren).
• Walk south on Oaklandon Road to find a spot to cheer on all the teams, players and coaches participating in the parade.
• Join your ballplayer and his/her team and walk the route!

What to Bring | Children should wear their uniforms and coaches/team parents who have purchased a team banner should also bring it for the parade. (Remember, team banners are optional so not all teams will have one.)

What NOT To Bring | We are asking all players and families to leave any horns and noisemakers at home to make this a pleasant and safe experience for all players and their families. Also, please leave at home your favorite dogs and pets since these not allowed as part of the parade or at Veterans Memorial Park, home of OYO, at any time.

Weather Considerations | As with any scheduled activity at OYO, please call the OYO WeatherLine at 317.767.5170 for the latest updates on the parade and game schedule for the day. As needed, we will begin updating the weatherline before 7:45 a.m. on Saturday, April 13.

Got Questions? | Please ask for help from any OYO Board Member. Our board members will be wearing blue polo shirts or jackets donning the “OYO Baseball and Softball Volunteer” logo.

Concessions will be open! | Be sure to stop by either of our concession stands throughout the day!  Cash and credit cards are accepted.

Respect Our Monuments | Please ask your ballplayers and children to not climb or play on the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir monument near Field 1 at the front of the park at any time during the season. Please respect our veterans and the monument placed in their honor.

SUMMARY | SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

• 8:00 a.m.: Coaches and/or Team Parent Arrive at Oaklandon Elementary school and go to designated team spot in the parking lot (area will be marked)
• 8:15-8:45 a.m.: All players should arrive at Oaklandon Elementary
• 9:00 a.m.: Parade begins
• 9:30 a.m.: Parade concludes at Veterans Memorial Park
• 10:15 a.m.: Opening Day Ceremony concludes
• 11 a.m.: Games begin (reference team’s schedule in LeagueApps)

Thank you for choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball!

• 8U Softball | Wait List Formed!
• 10U Softball | Wait List Formed!
• 12U Softball | 4 teams | Boilermakers (2), Ducks (2), Hurricanes, Yellow Jackets (2)
• Tee Ball | 12 teams | All teams have one opening, and the Bats, Raptors and Thunder each have 2 openings
• Junior Rookie | 4 teams | Athletics, Cubs, Indianapolis Indians, Red Sox
• Rookie | 7 teams | Athletics, Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, Indianapolis Indians, Mariners, Reds
• Minor | 5 teams | Athletics , Mets, Orioles, Rays, Royals
• Super Major | 4 teams | Angels, Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees

If you are a team parent or want to be one, then get the complete lowdown! For an in-depth overview of the duties, resources and recommendations, view the attached presentation (see link below). If you need something more, less or different, please contact Brandi Beard, OYO Team Parent Chairperson, directly. Thank you!

Team Parent Overview Presentation

• As coaches, if you are close to your players and unable to keep a six-foot distance from them, please wear your mask or gaiter.
• Please keep dugouts and bleachers for players only.  Have the players hang bat bags outside of the dugout so that they may spread out.
• During the offensive parts of the game, 2-3 waiting batters may be in the dugout while the rest of the team spreads out on the bleachers.
• Please keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your wagon or bat bag, set it out at the beginning of the game or practice, and have everyone sanitize often.
• Keep a bottle of sanitizer to spray down catcher’s gear, if it is shared.
• Ask families to spread out.

TRYOUT OVERVIEWS 

To be eligible for an age group in Red Storm (softball), the player must not be older than the team’s age as of January 1, 2021. To be eligible for an age group in Bombers (baseball), the player must not be older than the team’s age as of April 30, 2021.

Attendance is mandatory, unless other arrangements have been made with the team’s coach prior to the tryout to schedule an alternate time. There is no fee to participate in tryouts.

Players should arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled tryout time and should not wear any hats or uniform apparel affiliating them with any past travel team involvement (at OYO or elsewhere). However, a team-branded batting helmet is acceptable.

Below is a full list of remaining rec travel tryouts for select Bombers and Red Storm squads..

ORIGINAL POST

As the Spring Season rolls along, so does our rec travel/all-star program.  As parents of a ballplayer between the ages of 6-12 and in either baseball or softball, who might be seeking even a more competitive experience throughout the season, then the rec travel/all-star program is right for you.

ABOUT REC TRAVEL PROGRAM

At OYO, we offer a wide range of programs to help players of all levels of skill, interest and passion experience more baseball and softball.  As a registered family, you’re already intended to participate in our primary and most popular program — Spring Ball recreational league.  However, we also offer a rec all-star/travel program for all our rec league baseball and softball players who are seeking even more baseball and softball development and competitive game opportunities against teams from across Central Indiana. From experience, we know when families hear “rec travel” the misconceptions quickly follow. We’d like to set the record straight on our travel program before you and your ballplayer miss out on a tremendous opportunity this spring and summer.

BACKGROUND

Our baseball travel program is named the Oaklandon Bombers. Our softball travel program is named the Oaklandon Red Storm. And we offer two different levels — full-time travel (FTT) and recreational travel (RT). The full-time travel teams were selected last August and are all set for the 2021 season.

Our RT squads are the same as “all-star” teams selected in other leagues. The minor difference is these teams are formed during the practice season. Then, they practice or play games on Sundays during the recreational league season before coming together to play in local tournaments against similar clubs from other regional youth baseball and softball programs in June and July. A typical RT Bombers/Red Storm regular season runs from April through July in which the team will participate in 4 to 5 tournaments (again, all in Central Indiana).

Only those players who play in our recreational program can tryout for and be selected to play for the RT Bombers or Red Storm. These teams do require families to pay an additional fee to participate, and those fees vary from team to team.

KEEPING TRAVEL TRYOUTS SAFE AND FAIR

In accordance with state and local guidelines and additional social distancing and good hygeine practices, here is how OYO will manage the rec travel tryouts for age groups we’re able to support this season (based on eligible coaching volunteers):

Fair Tryout Process

• Only players who were registered at OYO, are eligible to tryout for a Bombers or Red Storm rec travel team.
• Players must attend a tryout to be eligible for a team. If a player cannot attend the scheduled date(s) and time(s), then they may request an alternate tryout date within two weeks of the posted tryouts for the respective age group.
• If any player or member of player’s household is not feeling well, or running a fever, the player’s tryout should be rescheduled for a later date within 14 days of scheduled tryout.
• OYO will seek to accommodate multiple teams in any age group where the interest from players is supported by qualified and eligible coaching candidates.
• No fees are required to participate in any tryout session.

Safe Tryout Procedures

• Dugouts will not be used by players.  They may be used by coaches with proper distancing.
• Players will line up their personal gear along the left field or right field fences, six feet apart.
• Restrooms will be available for use, but with social distancing practices.
• Parents or guardians who accompany players to tryouts are asked to wear masks and not gather in close groups, specifically maintaining six-feet-apart social distances.
• Players are encouraged to bring and use hand sanitizer often.
• No player equipment may be shared.  Team equipment, such as catcher’s gear, helmets, and chest protectors will be wiped down with disinfectant between each player use.
• Huddles shall be within safe social distancing parameters – six or more feet apart.

RED STORM TRYOUT OVERVIEW | SOFTBALL

To be eligible for an age group in Red Storm, the player must not be older than the team’s age as of January 1, 2021. Attendance is mandatory, unless other arrangements have been made with the team’s coach prior to the tryout to schedule an alternate time. There is no fee to participate in tryouts.

Players should arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled tryout time and should not wear any hats or uniform apparel affiliating them with any past travel team involvement (at OYO or elsewhere). However, a team-branded batting helmet is acceptable.

A full list of Red Storm rec travel coaches and remaining tryout schedules appears below.

BOMBERS TRYOUT OVERVIEW | BASEBALL

To be eligible for an age group in Bombers, the player must not be older than the team’s age as of April 30, 2021. Attendance is mandatory, unless other arrangements have been made with the team’s coach prior to the tryout to schedule an alternate time. There is no fee to participate in tryouts.

Players should arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled tryout time and should not wear any hats or uniform apparel affiliating them with any past travel team involvement (at OYO or elsewhere). However, a team-branded batting helmet is acceptable.

A full list of Bombers rec travel coaches and remaining tryout schedules appears below.

At OYO, we have the official OYO Weatherline to communicate important cancellation information. The Weatherline is used exclusively for game days, work days and travel tournament details. It is not used for rec league practice decisions.

All practice decisions are left to the coaches. Please check with your coach to determine if you are or are not having practice when the weather is questionable (and fields are not closed by the league).

The OYO Weatherline number is 317.767.5170. We use the weatherline to communicate cancellations for game days — and we do our best to update the Weatherline early on Saturdays and Sundays.

Here is one very important clarification: If we cancel a full slate of activities scheduled for the park, then no activity should take place on the fields, including ad hoc practices, travel games, etc.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

OYO is excited to announce the release of our 2021 Spring Season game schedule for all divisions with players age 12 and younger. (Team assignments and schedules for Junior Baseball, 14U/16U Softball and Senior Baseball will be released around May 1.)

The OYO Scheduling Committee has worked tirelessly with our league VPs, commissioners and coaches to finalize the schedule for the upcoming season involving more than 500 regular season games. To view your ballplayer’s regular season game schedule (and remaining practice schedule) for the regular season, follow three simple steps. (1) Log in to LeagueApps via oyoball.org. (2) Select Manage Parent Account (in upper right corner). (3) Click on My Schedule at the bottom of the sidebar along the right side of the screen.

Thank you for choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball!

Ready, Set, Smile! Team and individual pictures for our 2021 Sptring Season will take on a new format and a new look and feel. The first-ever OYO Photo Night is set for Friday, May 7, 2021, so mark your calendars!

OYO is revamping how we manage our team and individual photos to better accommodate COVID-19 safety guidelines and spacing as well as create a better overall experience for all our ballplayers and families, we have worked with H&R Photography to have one dedicated Team Photo Night for all our teams in our younger divisions.

This night will involve both team photos and player individual photos. We’ve designed the Photo Night experience so teams will be scheduled on ballfields this year, using Fields 1-4 and Fields 6-9 between 5:30-7:45 p.m. The schedule can be accessed using the link below. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your time slot to keep us on schedule. With the help of OYO players and parents, coaches, and board, we continue to make picture day a smooth adventure for all.

Please note, no games are scheduled for Friday, May 7. (And, if needed, the rain date is set for Friday, May 14.) Please reference the attached schedule below for your team’s scheduled photo shoot time on Friday, May 7.

Lastly, up until the Wednedsay, May 5, 2021, orders may be placed online. On behalf of H&R Photography, thank you for making our newly-styled OYO Photo Night  another successful experience. See you at the ballpark!

Ready, Set, Smile!
The OYO Board of Directors

2021 OYO PHOTO NIGHT SCHEDULE 

As the Spring Season rolls along, so does our rec travel/all-star program.  As parents of a ballplayer between the ages of 6-12 and in either baseball or softball, who might be seeking even a more competitive experience throughout the season, then the rec travel/all-star program is right for you.

ABOUT REC TRAVEL PROGRAM

At OYO, we offer a wide range of programs to help players of all levels of skill, interest and passion experience more baseball and softball.  As a registered family, you’re already intended to participate in our primary and most popular program — Spring Ball recreational league.  However, we also offer a rec all-star/travel program for all our rec league baseball and softball players who are seeking even more baseball and softball development and competitive game opportunities against teams from across Central Indiana. From experience, we know when families hear “rec travel” the misconceptions quickly follow. We’d like to set the record straight on our travel program before you and your ballplayer miss out on a tremendous opportunity this spring and summer.

BACKGROUND

Our baseball travel program is named the Oaklandon Bombers. Our softball travel program is named the Oaklandon Red Storm. And we offer two different levels — full-time travel (FTT) and recreational travel (RT). The full-time travel teams were selected last August and are all set for the 2021 season.

Our RT squads are the same as “all-star” teams selected in other leagues. The minor difference is these teams are formed during the practice season. Then, they practice or play games on Sundays during the recreational league season before coming together to play in local tournaments against similar clubs from other regional youth baseball and softball programs in June and July. A typical RT Bombers/Red Storm regular season runs from April through July in which the team will participate in 4 to 5 tournaments (again, all in Central Indiana).

Only those players who play in our recreational program can tryout for and be selected to play for the RT Bombers or Red Storm. These teams do require families to pay an additional fee to participate, and those fees vary from team to team.

KEEPING TRAVEL TRYOUTS SAFE AND FAIR

In accordance with state and local guidelines and additional social distancing and good hygeine practices, here is how OYO will manage the rec travel tryouts for age groups we’re able to support this season (based on eligible coaching volunteers):

Fair Tryout Process

• Only players who were registered at OYO, are eligible to tryout for a Bombers or Red Storm rec travel team.
• Players must attend a tryout to be eligible for a team. If a player cannot attend the scheduled date(s) and time(s), then they may request an alternate tryout date within two weeks of the posted tryouts for the respective age group.
• If any player or member of player’s household is not feeling well, or running a fever, the player’s tryout should be rescheduled for a later date within 14 days of scheduled tryout.
• OYO will seek to accommodate multiple teams in any age group where the interest from players is supported by qualified and eligible coaching candidates.
• No fees are required to participate in any tryout session.

Safe Tryout Procedures

• Dugouts will not be used by players.  They may be used by coaches with proper distancing.
• Players will line up their personal gear along the left field or right field fences, six feet apart.
• Restrooms will be available for use, but with social distancing practices.
• Parents or guardians who accompany players to tryouts are asked to wear masks and not gather in close groups, specifically maintaining six-feet-apart social distances.
• Players are encouraged to bring and use hand sanitizer often.
• No player equipment may be shared.  Team equipment, such as catcher’s gear, helmets, and chest protectors will be wiped down with disinfectant between each player use.
• Huddles shall be within safe social distancing parameters – six or more feet apart.

RED STORM TRYOUT OVERVIEW | SOFTBALL

To be eligible for an age group in Red Storm, the player must not be older than the team’s age as of January 1, 2021. Attendance is mandatory, unless other arrangements have been made with the team’s coach prior to the tryout to schedule an alternate time. There is no fee to participate in tryouts.

Players should arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled tryout time and should not wear any hats or uniform apparel affiliating them with any past travel team involvement (at OYO or elsewhere). However, a team-branded batting helmet is acceptable.

A full list of Red Storm rec travel coaches and remaining tryout schedules appears below.

BOMBERS TRYOUT OVERVIEW | BASEBALL

To be eligible for an age group in Bombers, the player must not be older than the team’s age as of April 30, 2021. Attendance is mandatory, unless other arrangements have been made with the team’s coach prior to the tryout to schedule an alternate time. There is no fee to participate in tryouts.

Players should arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled tryout time and should not wear any hats or uniform apparel affiliating them with any past travel team involvement (at OYO or elsewhere). However, a team-branded batting helmet is acceptable.

A full list of Bombers rec travel coaches and remaining tryout schedules appears below.