2024 Spring Season Game Schedules Now Available!

OYO is excited to announce the release of our 2024 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 in late April as the seasons for both divisions begin with practices on Saturday, May 4.)

The OYO Scheduling Committee has worked tirelessly with our league VPs, commissioners and coaches to finalize the schedule for the upcoming season involving nearly 600 regular season games across 34 weeknights and Saturdays. Unless a glaring error is uncovered (such as a field conflict or a team scheduled for two games at same time), the game schedules are final as nearly all fields are utilized in every game slot.

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) Access your account dashboard.
(3) Click on My Schedule at the bottom of the sidebar along the right side of the screen.

If you have any questions about your game schedule, please contact your team’s coach or division commissioner for more information.

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

12 and Under Participants: Fill the Final Uniform on Your Team!

With nearly 950 players already slated for the 2024 Spring Season, we’re nearly ready for an exciting way to kick off our 50th year of baseball and softball at OYO!

Now, in our 12 and Under divisions, we still have 43 openings across 35 teams. Junior Rookie and Rookie remain “sold out” and are still accepting names for our wait list. And other divisions are inching very close to maximum capacity, such as 12U Softball with only one opening left (and all remaining divisions are in single digits with the number of roster openings available).

To quickly complete all rosters — and allow new players the chance to partiicpate in as many as five more practices before Opening Day, we’re bringing back the popular “Fill The Uniform” campaign to help complete all our rosters. These spots will go fast! In fact, 40 teams are full and unable to add any additional players. Here’s the breakdown by division of teams needing an extra player or two this spring (as of 7 a.m. on Monday, March 25):

DIVISIONROSTER OPENINGS AVAILABLETEAMS WITH ONE (OR MORE) OPENING
08U SOFTBALL8Boilermakers
Bruins
Bulldogs (2)
Ducks
Hoosiers
Irish (2)
10U SOFTBALL4Aces
Boilermakers
Bulldogs
Sun Devils
12U SOFTBALL1Huskies
CHALLENGER2Cubs - Royal
Cubs - White
TEE BALL12Astros
Blue Jays
Cardinals
Cubs
Marlins (2)
Orioles (2)
Padres
Reds
Royals
Yankees
JUNIOR ROOKIE0WAIT LIST FORMED
ROOKIE0WAIT LIST FORMED
MINOR3Braves
Phillies
Reds
SUPER MAJOR6Cubs
Diamondbacks
Phillies
Reds
White Sox
Yankees
14U/16U SOFTBALLOPEN REGISTRATION THRU APRIL 15OPEN REGISTRATION THRU APRIL 15
JUNIOR BASEBALLOPEN REGISTRATION THRU APRIL 15OPEN REGISTRATION THRU APRIL 15
LAST UPDATED3.27.2024 | 5:30 A.M.
36 Roster Openings
31 Teams w/ Openings

As with any offer, the “Fill The Uniform” promotion to recruit a friend to OYO comes with specific terms:

  • New player registration must be received starting March 25 (past registrations are not eligible)
  • There must be an open roster spot on your team (we will not move players already assigned to make room for requests)
  • If a team requested is at maximum capacity, then the player registered will be assigned to the team with the least number of players in the division

Register today to secure a roster spot for your ballplayer for 2024 Spring Season! Tell your friends, classmates and neighbors there’s still space for them this spring. Register online today, and join a team for practice this week!

This list of eligible teams for the “Fill the Uniform” promotion will be updated by 8 a.m. each morning to reflect players assigned to teams during the previous 24 hours.

(Lastly for Junior Baseball and 14U/16U Softball, the open registration period continues and the season begins in early May. That said, roster openings remain limited in those divisions as early registration significantly outpaced past seasons. Come join the fun, register today!)

Still Time To Register This Spring … But Roster Openings Are Limited

Come take the field at OYO this spring — and encourage your friends to do the same! It’s our 50th Year, but we now have less than 50 openings for more 12 and Under ballplayers (with additional openings for 13 and Older players)! So, be sure you are registered and then tell your friends there’s still space for them for the 2024 Spring Season.

All future registrations will be handled on a first come, first serve basis. Once we reach maximum capacity, we will implement a waiting list process (where players can be added to the wait list at no charge). That said, based on experience, we know we will receive a flurry of registrations as we approach the game season. Don’t delay or you may find your ballplayer left off the ballfield this spring.

REGISTER TODAY! RECRUIT YOUR FRIENDS TODAY, TOO!
Let your friends, classmates, neighbors, and relatives know they can still join us for the 50th year of baseball and softball this spring. Once gone, there will be no additional openings available, just wait lists unfortunately.

As registrations continue to flow in daily, we now have only one or two openings per team on less than half  teams in each of our divisions. With registrations exceeding last year’s totals with a few weeks before Opening Day, we are quickly approaching maximum capacity and the openings remaining are all we have left to offer to interested families. So, act now!

Don’t Delay! Register Today!

DIVISIONROSTER OPENINGS AVAILABLETEAMS WITH ONE (OR MORE) OPENING
08U SOFTBALL8Boilermakers
Bruins
Bulldogs (2)
Ducks
Hoosiers
Irish (2)
10U SOFTBALL4Aces
Boilermakers
Bulldogs
Sun Devils
12U SOFTBALL1Huskies
CHALLENGER2Cubs - Royal
Cubs - White
TEE BALL12Astros
Blue Jays
Cardinals
Cubs
Marlins (2)
Orioles (2)
Padres
Reds
Royals
Yankees
JUNIOR ROOKIE0WAIT LIST FORMED
ROOKIE0WAIT LIST FORMED
MINOR3Braves
Phillies
Reds
SUPER MAJOR6Cubs
Diamondbacks
Phillies
Reds
White Sox
Yankees
14U/16U SOFTBALLOPEN REGISTRATION THRU APRIL 15OPEN REGISTRATION THRU APRIL 15
JUNIOR BASEBALLOPEN REGISTRATION THRU APRIL 15OPEN REGISTRATION THRU APRIL 15
LAST UPDATED3.27.2024 | 5:30 A.M.
36 Roster Openings
31 Teams w/ Openings

Come Celebrate OYO’s 50 Years on Opening Day on April 13!

2024 marks our 50th year of providing baseball and softball experiences to our resilient and magnificent ballplayers and their families. In 1975, our league first welcomed players at fields adjacent to Oaklandon Elementary before relocating in 1995 to Veterans Memorial Park, which has evolved through three comprehensive expansions.

 

50 Years of OYO is no accident. For five decades, OYO has been a proven example of excellence, greatness and dedication in our community. And our families have jumped in the trenches to make it a very special happy place for all by helping rake the fields to completing park prep day projects; being team parents to helping as assistant coaches; leading all star travel teams to coaching full time travel teams; and helping a player or fan in need to serving as a board member.

 

So, we’re ready to celebrate the start of our 50th year of baseball and softball during our 2024 Spring Season Opening Day. Check out the flyer below for the full scoop of activities and events planned for the day from parade to carnival-like activities to photo day to equipment sale to ballgames. We’re ready for our 50th year, and we hope you will come join us and help celebrate!

 

50 Year Milestone Flyer

All Star Tryouts Coming Soon | Come Participate!

All but two of our 10 all-star teams (formerly called rec travel teams) now have a great coach secured and are making plans for their rec travel season. We hope your ballplayer will join us for this competitive all-star season in 2024! (And, if you’re interested in learning about the coach openings for the two softball all-star age groups, contact Curtis Dillman today!)

We offer two all-star programs — Bombers for baseball, Red Storm for softball — which offer a more competitive experience for interested ballplayers seeking additional game opportunities on Sundays and after the rec league season ends.

These teams are formed in March and early April based on player participation at tryouts hosted at OYO. So, discover the coach for your child’s age group — and ages are based on the player’s age as of January 1, 2024 (for softball) and April 30, 2024 (for baseball). Bomber Up! Go Storm!

As the spring season is about to begin, so is our 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 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 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 “all star” or “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 all-stars. The full-time travel teams were selected last August and are all set for the 2024 season.

Our All Star squads are comprised of players from our rec league, just as other youth program across Central Indiana do to form their teams. These teams 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 All Star 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 All Star Bombers or Red Storm. These teams do require families to pay an additional fee to participate, and those fees vary from team to team.

 

TRAVEL TRYOUT PROCESS

Here is how OYO will manage the All Star team tryouts for age groups we’re able to support this season (based on eligible coaching volunteers):

  • Only players who were registered at OYO, are eligible to tryout for a Bombers or Red Storm all star 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.
  • 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.

 

BOMBERS TRYOUT OVERVIEW | BASEBALL

To be eligible for an All Star age group in Bombers, the player must not be older than the team’s age as of April 30 2024. 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 All Star coaches and tryout schedules and contact info appears below.

 

RED STORM TRYOUT OVERVIEW | SOFTBALL

To be eligible for an All Star age group in Red Storm, the player must not be older than the team’s age as of January 1, 2024. 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 All Star coaches and tryout schedules appears below as well as the age groups where tryouts are on hold until a coach can be secured.

 

AGEFIELDTRYOUTSHEAD COACH
07U Bombers All Stars10Sunday, March 24 | 11 a.m.
Sunday, April 7 | 11 a.m.
Colin Thornburg
08U Bombers All Stars11Sunday, March 24 | 11 a.m.
Sunday, April 7 | 11 a.m.
Brad Davis
09U Bombers All Stars4Sunday, March 24 | 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 7 | 3 p.m.
Richard Benberry
10U Bombers All Stars1Sunday, March 24 | 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 7 | 1 p.m.
Branden Williams
11U Bombers All Stars2Sunday, March 17 | 7 p.m.Ke Shawn Barker
12U Bombers All Stars2Sunday, March 24 | 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 7 | 3 p.m.
Rich Day
08U Red Storm All StarsTBDTBDApply To Be a Coach
10U Red Storm All Stars9Sunday, March 17 | 4 p.m.
Sunday, March 24 | 1 p.m.
Zach Holcomb
12U Red Storm All StarsTBDTBDApply To Be a Coach
14U Red Storm All StarsTBA in AprilTBA in AprilDavid (Bug) Williams

Two Board Positions Still Available | Make a Difference at OYO!

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, ensuring transparency and accountability and creating memorable experiences for all our players, families and volunteers.

In a remarkable show of support, volunteerism and leadership, more than 45 members have combined to fill all 51 positions available on the current OYO Board of Directors. However, 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.

We are expanding 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!

And, as we continue to serve an important component of our program — full-time travel and all-star travel — we are seeking a volunteer to support the financial operations of our Red Storm program and serve on the OYO Board of Directors!

If you have ever thought about serving on the OYO Board, we would like to explore these opportunities with you (or others where we can consider co-chair capacities). Our current needs are listed here and detailed “job descriptions” appear further below on this page:

  • Deputy Treasurer, Travel Softball (Red Storm)
  • Marketing Co-Chairperson

 

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!

 

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL OYO BOARD MEMBERS

  • Attend and participate in monthly board meetings (one per quarter in person, remainder virtual)
  • Serve Advisor on Duty (AOD) shifts during spring and fall seasons (approx. five in spring, three in fall)
  • Represent the very best of OYO at all times (including social media engagement, sportsmanship)
  • Fulfill duties of assigned role and keep appropriate executive board members informed

 

DEPUTY TREASURER, TRAVEL SOFTBALL (RED STORM)

  • Establish team coach and treasurer(s) contact list for all Full-Time Travel and All-Star (Rec Travel) Red Storm teams, including intended start and end dates. (Typically 10-12 teams.)
  • Establish team treasurer agreement for fiduciary responsibility on behalf of OYO, as a signed form.
  • Enable account access at official banking institution to be set up for the travel team coach, although debit card should remain locked by Deputy Treasurer until travel team treasurer completes account access activities.
  • Require receipts to be obtained by team treasurer and reported to the OYO Deputy Treasurer.
  • Monitor for missing receipts or excessive spending without two-person verification that may require refreezing of debit card status.
  • Maintain ongoing routine communication with all team treasurers to identify areas of support.
  • Monitor accounts and submit monthly reports identifying results of review and potential risks to OYO Treasurer and VP of Travel Softball, who will present findings to Executive Board where relevant.

 

MARKETING CO-CHAIRPERSON

  • 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)
  • Assist with special ad hoc projects, as needed

 

Learn more today…

If you have questions, contact one of the following individuals:

 
Thank you for your continued support and choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball. Now, step up to the plate and join the board!

Dick’s E-Coupon Available to All Families in 2024

If you missed the popular OYO Shopping Day at Dick’s Sporting Goods in early March, no worries! We’ve partnered with Dick’s Sporting Goods to identify even more savings for you and your ballplayer.

Download this coupon sheet to take advantage of great discounts on footwear, apparel and equipment. These coupons are good for the remainder of the 2024 calendar year. And, if you are in need of what equipment your ballplayer needs, check out our helpful guide online.

Go shopping today for your needs, and take the field tomorrow ready to play! As always, thank you for choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball — and thank you for supporting Dick’s Sporting Goods, too!

2024 Spring Season Rosters Released

The OYO Spring Season is now officially underway. Thanks to your trust in OYO, we are ready for our 50th year of baseball and softball and prepared to make this the most memorable year yet. Rest assured, while March Madness starts early each year at OYO, we can assure you OYO is ready for 2024! So, here’s our own Top Ten summary to kickoff our Spring Season!

 

THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!
Thanks to the remarkable work of our many dedicated, caring and committed volunteer board members, OYO is ready for 2024. Before sharing details about the season ahead, kudos must be shared in honor of those who make this season possible:

  • Compassionate baseball and softball vice presidents and division commissioners have secured all our coaches and analyzed detailed player evaluations to ensure balanced rosters
  • Focused scheduling committee members have finalized and scheduled nearly 1000 practice assignments for all rec league and travel teams
  • Tireless sponsorship committee members have pursued every lead to secure as many sponsorships as possible for our record number of teams this spring
  • Dedicated grounds crew members have put in the work to improve our fields to make them safer and better for all our players and teams
  • Many more board members have gone the extra mile behind the scenes to make sure all parts of the season ahead are well planned, coordinated and organized

 

OUR WHY BEGINS WITH THE OYO WAY
We will all do our part to create a fun, positive learning environment for our ballplayers. We will all pitch in to keep our beloved park looking its best. And, we will all keep The OYO Way at the forefront of our kids’ baseball and softball experience. That’s what makes OYO THE place for baseball and softball in our community!

 

TEAM ASSIGNMENTS, PRACTICE SCHEDULE NOW AVAILABLE
All team assignments have now been published in LeagueApps. 
Simply login to your dashboard via our website powered by LeagueApps. When you check out your assignments online, you will find your ballplayer’s team name, coach information and practice times. Game schedules are forthcoming in late March. Also, please understand, our commissioners did their very best to meet as many requests as possible, so long as team balance was not compromised. Our coaches have been carefully selected and assigned. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your coach or commissioner with questions.

Also, if you believe you are in the right place but the roster or practices schedules are not showing, then we likely overlooked one of the publish checkboxes. Simply email us and we’ll turn it on for your division or team.

 

COACHES WILL TOUCH BASE SOON
By Thursday, all head coaches should have connected with their teams to make a preliminary introduction and set expectations. In the event you have not heard from your coach by Thursday, then you’re encouraged to email your coach directly with any questions you may have about the upcoming season! You can find the coach’s contact info via your team page in LeagueApps.

 

PRACTICES START WEEK OF MARCH 11
All practice times for weeknight practice times (thru week of April 22) and Saturday practice times (through April 6), can be found in LeagueApps, too. Unless the OYO Board makes a leaguewide announcement, all practice decisions are left to the discretion of the the team’s coach when the weather is in doubt.

 

14U/16U SOFTBALL AND JUNIOR BASEBALL STARTS LATER
The 14U/16U Softball and Junior Baseball seasons begin later than all our 12 and Under divisions. Early registration ends on March 18 for these two divisions, rosters are released in late April, practices begin May 4 and games begin May 20. The later start is designed to allow players to focus on their middle school or high school teams and then take the field with their OYO friends as those seasons wind down.

 

THE OYO WEATHERLINE IS FOR GAME DAYS ONLY, NOT PRACTICES
The OYO Weatherline (317.767.5170) is reserved exclusively for game day communications so please check with your coach about practices this fall. Please note, Opening Day for games is Saturday, April 13 (and weeknight games start Monday, April 29).

 

YOU KNOW YOUR TEAM…NOW GO TELL YOUR FRIENDS THERE’S STILL ROOM THIS SPRING!
Most teams still have 1-2 openings left for the 2024 Spring Season. We purposely construct rosters that allow for an additional player or two to be added. For nearly 20 years, registration patterns show we always receive approximately 175 player registrations between March 5 and Opening Day. (A year ago, we added 199 players alone.) Spread the word about the remaining 2024 Spring Season openings to your friends and encourage them to come and play at OYO (but please note we cannot guarantee same-team placement). Don’t let them miss out on the fun this season!

 

SOME TEAMS STILL NEED SPONSORSHIPS
We want to make sure every team has the support of a team sponsor this spring. At this time, we’re still a little short of that goal. If your team does not currently have a sponsor, you will receive an email on Wednesday morning. This is not unprecedented as each year we notify a handful of teams we still need team sponsors for their squad. It is just more pronounced in 2024 due to our growth. If you discover your team is in need of a sponsor, we hope you will contact a business you know or even your employer about being a Single or Double Play sponsor this year!

 

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING OYO AS YOUR PLACE FOR BASEBALL & SOFTBALL
Once again, we truly appreciate your understanding and patience as we completed the team assignment process this spring. Most importantly, thank you for choosing OYO as your family’s place for baseball and softball. We appreciate your continued interest and support!

2024 Spring Season Openings

Come get involved with OYO this spring — and be part of our wonderful 50th Year of baseball and softball!

We have room for more ballplayers!
We need a few more coaches!
We seek many more team sponsors!

So, whether you’re a parent with an excited ballplayer, an adult who wants to make a difference or a business that enjoys supporting our community’s youth, then OYO ready for you!

Just be sure you are signed up to play, coach or sponsor very soon! Act now and then encourage your friends and peers to do the same for the 2024 Spring Season.

All future player registrations, coaching applications and sponsorships are handled on a first come, first serve basis.

 

MAKE SURE YOUR PLAYER IS ON A TEAM! THEN TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO REGISTER!

Don’t delay or you may find your ballplayer left off the ballfield. Let your friends, classmates, neighbors, and relatives know they can still join us this spring. Review our online overview for the 2024 Spring Season! Once gone, there will be no additional openings available, just wait lists unfortunately. Can you risk the wait?

 

MAKE AN IMPACT WHEN YOU COACH A TEAM!

We are seeking several wonderful parents to be head coaches. While our 12 and Under divisions begin practices in a week, our older divisions (for players ages 13 and older) are coming up in late April, too. We still need four more coaches for our older divisions soon. Will you create an amazing experience for a team of players?

 

MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOUR COMPANY SPONSORS A TEAM!

To continue to keep OYO’s fees affordable for all our families, we rely on the generous support from the surrounding business community through team sponsorships and park amenity sponsorships. At this time, 32 teams are in need of a team sponsor, and we offer options to support a team this spring only or both this spring and fall. Can out players count on you?

DIVISION# PLAYER OPENINGS# COACHES NEEDED# SPONSORS NEEDED
08U Softball1200
10U Softball800
12U Softball200
Challenger600
Tee Ball2200
Junior Rookie200
Rookie000
Minor1000
Super Major1200
14U/16U SoftballOpen registration continues26
Junior BaseballOpen registration continues24

last updated 03.07.2024 | 11:30 a.m.

From the President: Let’s Make 2024 a Golden Year!

OYO Fans and Friends:

 

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy

 

As I began to gather my thoughts for this letter, I kept coming back to two words – gratitude and appreciation.

 

I am incredibly grateful for the humbling opportunity to dedicate myself in service to the entire league, including this remarkable OYO family. Similarly, I am truly appreciative for all the selfless and tireless service that countless volunteers have demonstrated. Personally, throughout my two-plus decades at OYO, it is still a blessing to be selected to lead this amazing organization filled with so many wonderful people who put our ballplayers at the core of all we do.

 

It’s easy to reflect on all the amazing accomplishments we collectively made possible in 2023 – largest combined Spring rec league and full-time travel participation ever, largest Fall Ball registration ever, robust Winter Workout participation, record-setting year of sponsorship support, 99% of all games covered by umpires in an era of declining officiating engagement, more fields than ever and so much more. However, all the excitement, buzz and rage is about the milestones and opportunities ahead!

 

This Year Is Going To Be Golden, Literally!

 

2024 marks our 50th year of providing baseball and softball experiences to our resilient and magnificent ballplayers and their families. In 1975, our league first welcomed players at fields adjacent to Oaklandon Elementary before relocating in 1995 to Veterans Memorial Park, which has evolved through three comprehensive expansions.

 

50 Years of OYO is no accident. For five decades, OYO has been a proven example of excellence, greatness and dedication in our community. And our families have jumped in the trenches to make it a very special happy place for all by helping rake the fields to completing park prep day projects; being team parents to helping as assistant coaches; leading all star travel teams to coaching full time travel teams; and helping a player or fan in need to serving as a board member. Sure the league has encountered unfortunate trials and tribulations that have challenged the league’s tapestry, but the values and commitment from our loyal and dedicated volunteers have helped us overcome those moments with countless thrills and triumphs that truly define OYO today.

 

Why We Are Ready to Connect with You!

 

After all, OYO has a fundamental responsibility to impact our ballplayers’ experiences, our community and the game of baseball and softball for all who experience OYO wherever our teams go.

 

When the OYO Board convened last November, I asked our vast and diverse OYO Board of Directors to invoke “The Golden Circle” from Simon Sinek’s Start With Why and capture their “why” for becoming more involved. Then, in December we dove into the “Hedgehog Concept” from Jim Collins’ Good to Great for additional perspective on “what can OYO be the best at”.

 

Valuing the OYO Board’s overall focus, our 43 volunteer board members shared their wisdom and insight leading to several powerfully consistent themes. Recognizing the uplifting power of our program, they all point back to The OYO Way – our long-standing pact with OYO families to prioritize player development, establish respect, teach life lessons, emphasize fairness and promote character.

 

What’s in Store for 2024 and Beyond?

 

It’s a golden year for all of us who continue to call OYO home for our baseball and softball experience! Our five biggest priorities all year long will include:

  • Comprehensive Team Balance Improvements | Sharpen our processes on how we utilize coach feedback and advanced technology resources
  • More Support for Coach and Player Development | Utilize support systems and clinics for all coaches to improve the quality of practice drills and concepts
  • Travel Baseball and Softball Program Growth | Develop new opportunities for greater consistency and robust growth of our successful Bombers and Red Storm all-star and full-time travel programs
  • Increased Transparency and Consistency | Ensure greater accountability from each and every volunteer board member and coach while ensuring fairness for all
  • Maximize the OYO Experience | Prioritize how we deliver the best possible experience, especially on the field

 

But that’s not all! We want to celebrate! And, we will celebrate often! As our exclusive 2024 logo conveys, we’re recognizing our past, present and future! We’ll have special ceremonies on Opening Day, and we’ll offer special events all season long. We’ll mark our 50-day milestones this spring and fall. And we’ll carry forward the ideals and values that have made OYO the most amazing place to play ball in Central Indiana!

 

My Ask Is Simple.

 

“Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change.” — Richard Branson

 

The OYO success story is strong because it is created entirely by volunteers – like you – in every walk of life. We recognize change is never easy, but necessary to adapt and thrive. So, these very individuals – especially you – embrace the opportunities necessary to make important contributions that help OYO not only meet, but also exceed, expectations today and for the future, too!

 

If you have additional ideas and insights about change and growth, then please consider becoming a volunteer for change. Help drive positive change by participating as a coach, team parent, umpire, board member, grounds caretaker, sponsor, supporter, positive fan, etc. OYO has a place for you!

 

Thank you for reading this letter. Now, please consider and evaluate what you can personally do at OYO. And, I look forward to seeing you all at the fields soon.

 

As always, thank you for choosing OYO as your place for baseball and softball! Let’s make our 50th year our best year yet!

 

Play Ball!
Michael DeSanto
President, OYO Board of Directors
oyopresident1@gmail.com | 317.345.9006 (mobile | text)