Posts by Michael DeSanto

Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season capped off with a pleasant New Year’s celebration with family and friends. Now that 2024 has finally arrived, OYO is ready to kick off our programs for the year, too! And this starts with the Winter Workouts you registered your ballplayer for this winter.

To get you ready for the workouts at Underwood Baseball, which begin tomorrow — January 6, 2024 — for all age groups, here are some FAQs. Of course, if you have any additional questions or need something more, less or different before the workouts begin, then just let us know.

What time is your ballplayer’s weekly workout session?
Below is the summary of workout times for each baseball and softball age group.

I heard Underwood Baseball moved, so where is the new facility located?
Yes, Underwood Baseball did move! The facility’s new address is 3849 Richardt Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46226. For some quick tips, here are some notes:

• It is near the southwest corner of the I-465/Pendleton Pike interchange
• Located in the back of the industrial park located behind the Pendleton Trade Center (which includes shops such as Subway, T-Mobile, Next Day Signs, etc.)
• When turning into The Pendleton Trade Center, take an immediate left to remain on access road
• Follow the access road to the stop sign (where Hilti will be on your right)
• Turn right at stop sign, take immediate left and proceed to second row of buildings
• Underwood Baseball is in second row at the very end (3849 Richardt Avenue, Suite 101)

How should players dress for the workouts?
Players should wear clothers they would normally wear to a team practice. We recommend baseball/softball pants or sweat pants and a couple layers on top. Depending on the time of day, the facility can be a little chilly but as it warms up, your ballplayer may be more comfortable wearing a layer or two less.

What equipment does my ballplayer need and what should they wear?
We are asking every player to have their own helmet, bat and glove. In addition, your ballplayers should wear indoor practice attire and tennis shoes or turf shoes. No cleats are permitted.

How will the sessions be facilitated?
All our sessions will be hosted by Dan Underwood, a proven baseball and softball trainer and also serves as the 2024 14U FTT Oaklandon Bombers head coach. All sessions will be customized for each age group, and individual volunteer instructors will help players execute the drills being taught at the workouts.

Got Questions?
If you have any questions or need additional feedback or insight, then please email us and we’ll be sure to provide the information or support you and your ballplayer need!

Thank You!
As always, thank you for choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball. We particularly appreciate your participation in our Winter Workout program!

Our incredible 2024 Board of Directors is set, but we can still use more hands on deck to make the year ahead an amazing one for every family who calls OYO home to their baseball and softball experience — and prepare for even more growth in 2024 and beyond.

2024 marks our 50th year of baseball and softball at OYO, and our league is growing at an unprecedented rate and the league’s engagement is greater than ever. More than ever, we need all hands on deck!

Do you like creating a positive impact in the lives of our young ballplayers? Do you enjoy rolling up your sleeves and jumping in the trenches with other selfless volunteers to make a difference? Do you value the community experience OYO offers and wants to extend its welcoming environment to even more families?

If you answered “yes” to any one of those questions, let alone all three, then an At-Large board member role may be right for you! This would allow you an opportunity to jump in and support both existing initiatives and ad hoc projects while becoming more familiar with the processes and procedures behind the scenes. Then, as the board expands in late 2024, you would be an excellent candidate for one of our new, expanded roles to come.

For more details, here’s the description of the role (and general board responsibilities):

• Assist with special ad hoc projects, as needed
• Invest the time and effort to learn more about OYO
• Serve as an ambassador for OYO on and off the field by promoting programs and services
• Shadow select board members to better understand functions and duties
• Participate in park prep days and projects
• Serve approximately five Advisor on Duty (AOD) shifts in the spring, three AOD shifts in the fall
• Attend and contribute to monthly board meetings, which are a mix of in-person and hybrid meetings

During the past 20 years, nearly 300 individuals have volunteered their time and talents as board members to ensure our ballplayers and families could truly enjoy their OYO experience. We are just everyday moms, dads, coaches, team parents, fans and more who care and work together to make a difference.

We hope you will answer this call and make OYO the beneficiary of your volunteer efforts in 2024. Rest assured, nearly 2000 ballplayers from more than 1200 families will value your contributions!

Come Make A Difference! Email us today to share your interest in joining the OYO Board!

As we prepare for the upcoming year of activities and programs, below is a complete schedule for when online registrations will open for player registrations, coach registrations, sponsorships, tournaments and travel team programs. If you have any questions or need something more, less or different, please send an email to oyocommunications@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued interest in OYO and all our programs for ballplayers and families!

• Now Open! | November 3, 2023 | Rec Travel Coach Application
• Now Open! | November 15, 2023 | Winter Workout Registration
• Up Next! | December 8, 2023 | Spring Season Player Registration
• Up Next! | December 8, 2023 | Spring Season Coach Registration
• December 15, 2023 | Sponsorship Registration
• December 15, 2023 | Umpire Registration
• January 1, 2024 | Concessions Staff Registration
• January 15, 2024 | Travel Tournament Registrations (Manlove Tournament, Sturm Tournament, Bomber Bash Tournament, Storm Smash Tournament)
• May 1, 2024 | Full-Time Travel Coach Registration
• June 1, 2024 | Fall Ball Player Registration
• June 1, 2024 | Fall Ball Coach Registration

• Arun Murali, Vice President of Travel Baseball
• Ke Shawn Barker, All-Star Travel Baseball Commissioner
• Curtis Dillman, Vice President of Travel Softball
• Keshia Wilson, Travel Softball Commissioner

Click Here To Complete The Rec Travel Coach Application Today!

Is your ballplayer missing being on the field and enjoying their baseball and softball experience yet? At OYO, we certainly are! Don’t let the offseason keep your ballplayer from doing what he or she enjoys most…playing baseball or softball! OYO has just the right solution — and in a brand new location!

ABOUT THE PROGRAM | Every winter, we welcome all baseball and softball players to come join us indoors to knock off that winter rust with our Winter Workouts program!

DAY | All sessions will be held on Saturdays in 2024

DATES| Saturday, January 6 thru Saturday, March 9 (regular season practices will begin March 11)

SESSIONS | 10 weekly sessions running 60 minutes each (for players 8 and under) and 90 minutes (for players 9 and older)

FEE | $110 per ballplayer

PARTICIPANTS | Winter Workouts are open to past OYO players, prospective OYO players and ballplayers in the community just looking for a chance to get some off-season practice in before the spring season starts. It is not a requirement for participants to play in OYO’s 2024 Spring Season — any interested ballplayer may participate.

LOCATION | Underwood Baseball, 3849 Richardt Avenue, Indianapolis 46226 (southwest corner of I-465 and Pendleton Pike exchange)

FACILITATION | Each workout session plan will be developed and executed by Underwood Baseball. Led by Dan Underwood (who is also the 14U FTT Oaklandon Bombers head coach), Underwood Baseball will facilitate the workouts for all baseball and softball age groups focusing on hitting and fielding. In addition, softball will enlist the instruction of outside pitching coaches for select sessions. To support the workouts, OYO coaches and volunteers also may support the drills demonstrated by managing small group stations.

MAXIMUM CAPACITY | Although the workouts don’t start until early January, the number of roster openings in each division is limited to only the first 36 players who register. Once we reach capacity, we will add all interested players to a wait list. Don’t delay, register today!

LEARN MORE | Check out the full schedule here for winter workout sessions!

REGISTER | Visit LeagueApps today to register your ballplayer for the Winter Workouts!

Thank you for choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Our incredible 2024 Board of Directors is set, but we can still use more hands on deck to make the year ahead an amazing one for every family who calls OYO home to their baseball and softball experience.

At this time, we would like to expand our Marketing Chairperson position into a co-chair role. Are you creative and enjoy storytelling? Then the OYO Marketing Co-Chair role may be right for you! And, you will get to team up with an OYO veteran who can provide perspective and resources to make your role even easier!

2024 marks our 50th year of baseball and softball at OYO, and our league is growing at an unprecedented rate and the league’s engagement is greater than ever. More than ever, it’s important we’re communicating frequently and often to newcomers and returning families, too.

For more details, here’s the description of the role (and general board responsibilities):

• Oversee, update and maintain the OYO website
• Oversee and lead all brand identity and organizational positioning initiatives
• Provide market research support and oversight for new programs and concepts
• Develop marketing campaigns to support organization’s growth and expansion
• Present communication recommendations to the OYO board
• Support online registration development and structure with basic programming and content additions
• Contribute content and information to regular editions of This Week in OYO (TWIO)
• Serve five AOD shifts in the spring, three AOD shifts in the fall
• Participate in park prep days and projects
• Attend monthly board meetings, which are a mix of in-person and hybrid meetings
• Assist with special ad hoc projects, as needed

During the past 20 years, nearly 300 individuals have volunteered their time and talents as board members to ensure our ballplayers and families could truly enjoy their OYO experience. We are just everyday moms, dads, coaches, team parents, fans and more who care and work together to make a difference.

We hope you will answer this call and make OYO the beneficiary of your volunteer efforts in 2024. Rest assured, more than 1800 ballplayers from 1000 families will value your contributions!

Come Make A Difference! Email us today to share your interest in joining the OYO Board!

OYO operates a single-elimination Fall Ball Tournament for all our divisions, except Tee Ball, on Sunday, October 15. To track the results in your division during the rec league tournament, please click the respective link below to view the bracket with the latest results.

We wish all teams a memorable ending to their season! Good luck! And, as always, thank you for choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball.

Play Ball!
The OYO Board of Directors

Real-Time Brackets

• 08U Softball
• 10U Softball
• 12U Softball
• 14U/16U Softball
• Junior Rookie
• Rookie
• Minor
• Super Major
• Junior Baseball

Our incredible 2024 Board of Directors is almost set. Every position has an elected or nominated board member, except one.

Are you the final, and extremely important, piece of this remarkable group of board volunteers in 2024? Well, let’s see…

If you have a passion for both travel baseball and softball, thrive being around a competitive game day atmosphere, able to sweat the details, enjoy embracing new teams and ballplayers to OYO, like to coordinate successful events where all proceeds are allocated to help families in need (both inside and outside of OYO) and can collaborate well with fellow volunteers to make these efforts a success, then let’s talk about our All-Star/Rec Travel Tournament Chair position soon.

2024 marks our 50th year of baseball and softball at OYO, and our two all-star tournaments — David Manlove Memorial Tournament and Bill Sturm Memorial Tournament — are primed for tremendous participation and engagement. However, all efforts are on hold for these two events until we are able to secure an All-Star/Rec Travel Tournament Chair.

For more details, here’s the description of the role (and general board responsibilities):

• Oversee all all-star travel baseball and softball tournament programs and activities
• Partner with Vice President of Travel Baseball, Travel Baseball Commissioners, Vice President of Travel Softball and Travel Softball Commissioners to maximize team recruitment for tournaments
• Manage all facets of the annual David Manlove Memorial Tournament (early June)
• Manage all facets of the annual Bill Sturm Memorial Tournament (July)
• Provide guidance for full-time travel program to help them coordinate and manage successful tournaments independently
• Responsibilities include overseeing (and not directly doing) with the help of other OYO Board Members to market the event, field inquiries from interested teams, collect registrations, ensure payments are made, finalize rules, develop schedules, select trophies, recruit umpires, communicate to participating teams and execute event
• Serve five AOD shifts in the spring, three AOD shifts in the fall
• Participate in park prep days and projects
• Attend monthly board meetings, which are a mix of in-person and hybrid meetings
• Assist with special ad hoc projects, as needed

During the past 20 years, nearly 300 individuals have volunteered their time and talents as board members to ensure our ballplayers and families — and visiting travel teams and players — could truly enjoy their OYO experience. We are just everyday moms, dads, coaches, team parents, fans and more who care and work together to make a difference.

We hope you will answer this call and make OYO the beneficiary of your volunteer efforts in 2024. Rest assured, more than 100 all-star travel teams and more than 1200 all-star ballplayers will value the difference you make.

Come Make A Difference! Email us today to share your interest in joining the OYO Board!

As we enter the final two weeks of the regular season, we are most impressed by the development of all our ballplayers, teams and coaches. Everyone has worked so hard this year to make this season fun and memorable, through more in-depth coaching and player development initiatives, too.

All these efforts are designed to help teams progress and put themselves in position to be competitive during an exciting and enjoyable Rec League Tournament.

The Tournament | OYO operates a single-elimination tournament for all our divisions, except Tee Ball. The tournament is set for Sunday, October 15. Depending on cancellations and delays due to weather, the tournament’s rain date is first Saturday, October 21 and, if needed, Sunday, October 22.

Tee Ball Games Previously Scheduled | All Tee Ball teams also have one final game scheduled on Sunday, October 15 throughout the day on Field 14! Check LeagueApps for your game time and be sure to come and play … and capture your ballplayer receiving his/her participation trophy following the game!

The Brackets | At OYO, we are a developmental league first during the regular season. We do not keep standings, and all first round games/tournament brackets were completed through a computerized random draw in LeagueApps. Please access your division’s tournament bracket below (see links below for your division’s bracket). Please note, umpires will oversee a coin flip or ball roll to determine the “home” team for all games in the tournament. If you have any questions about your bracket, please contact your coach, division commissioner or respective vice president. The brackets can be accessed below and the first round games are noted on your team’s schedule in LeagueApps.

Reminder for Coaches … Mandatory Meeting on Thursday, October 12 at 8 p.m. | The mandatory Pre-Tournament Coaches’ Meeting is set for Thursday, October 12 at 8 p.m. on Field 2 at OYO. Each team must be represented by the team’s head coach or another designated representative. (Tee Ball teams do not need to attend.)

We wish all teams a memorable ending to their regular season between now and October 8 and a great start to their tournament experience on October 15.

As always, thank you for choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball.

Play Ball!
The OYO Board of Directors
www.oyoball.org

BRACKETS

• Junior Rookie
• Rookie
• Minor
• Super Major
• Junior Baseball
• 08U Softball
• 10U Softball
• 12U Softball
• 14U/16U Softball

Congratulations to all 203-24 OYO Board Members! On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, the current OYO Board elected a new slate of board members to help continue serve the OYO families in 2024 and beyond. This unprecedented group of 50+ board volunteers will work tirelessly to uphold The OYO Way and continue to grow our program to serve more than 1600 ballplayers and 1000 families each year. These board members will assume their official roles on November 1, 2023. Don’t forget to thank an OYO Board Member today for their tireless and selfless efforts on behalf of all our OY) ballplayers and families.