Posts Tagged ‘parents’

OYO is excited for the 2026 and all the programs we’ll offer all year long for every ballplayer and family for whatever level they choose to play this year.

Shortly following the conclusion of our Fall Ball season last October, the 2026 Board term commenced and our 67 volunteer board members have been hard at work identifying improvements and new opportunities for the 2026 seasons. So what changes can you anticipate in this spring? Here’s our lowdown.

Can my player still register for the Winter Workout program?

Yes. We have very limited openings for ballplayers eligible for any level of softball as well as in our Junior Rookie/Rookie baseball divisions. That said, we have less than five openings in each of these age groups this winter, so families should register soon to secure a spot. Register for the Winter Workouts today!

When will 2026 Spring Season registration open?

The 2026 Spring Season Registration for all divisions will open on Monday, January 19. Early registration for players ages 12 and under ends February 16, at which time fees will increase $30 per player. As for players ages 13 and older, early registration ends on March 16, at which time fees will increase $30 per player as well.

Does OYO offer financial assistance?

Yes. You can learn about our payment plans, Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation grants and OYO scholarship program via OYO’s website. If you have any questions, please email the OYO Registration Committee.

REMINDER! Softball Age Eligibility Changed

Our softball age eligibility has changed. To better align with national softball associations, the age cut off for each division for the 2026 Spring Season is now September 1, 2025. (Previously it would have been January 1, 2026.) This may result in the opportunity for players born between September 1 and January 1 a third season in their respective division. If your ballplayer wishes to move forward and play in the next division up, please make a “level up” request via email to Mario Covarrubias, OYO Vice President of Softball.

Are there any changes to the season’s format to allow for more player development?

Yes. This one of two significant changes we have made for the 2026 season. After reviewing and comparing families’ feedback in both our spring and fall season surveys, we recognize the need to adjust our format for the 2026 Spring Season. The changes are two-fold based on the ages of our ballplayers.

• For players 12 and under, we will extend the weeknight practice season to include two additional weeks of practices. Key dates are as follows:
  • January 19 | Registration Opens
  • February 16 | Early Registration Ends
  • February 25 | Last Day for Refunds
  • March 3 | Rosters Released
  • March 5 | Coaches’ Meeting (date subject to change)
  • March 16 | Weeknight/Saturday Practices Begin
  • April 18 | Opening Day/Saturday games begin
  • April 20 | Weeknight Practices Continue
  • April 27 | Weeknight Practices Continue
  • May 4 | Weeknight Practices Continue
  • May 11 | Weeknight Practices Continue
  • May 18 | Weeknight Games Begin
  • June 6 | Regular Season Ends
  • June 8 | Rec League Tournament Begins*
  • June 20 (or sooner) | Rec League Tournament Ends
  • *Between June 8-20 | Challenger and Tee Ball teams will each play one weeknight and one Saturday game during the week of June 8-13 and June 15-20
• For players 13 and older, we will start the season slightly later (both practices and games), extend the season slightly longer and spread out the games slightly more.
  • January 19 | Registration Opens
  • March 16 | Early Registration Ends
  • April 15 | Last Day for Refunds
  • April 19 | Rosters Released
  • May 9 | Weeknight/Saturday Practices Begin
  • May 30 | Weeknight/Saturday games begin
  • June 24 | Regular Season Ends
  • June 29-July 10 |Rec League Tournament Begins*
  • * No Tournament Games scheduled between July 3-5

What changes are being implemented to achieve greater team balance?

This is the second significant change being implemented in preparation for the 2026 Spring Season.

This past offseason, the OYO Board has reviewed trends, processes and results over the past five years for each Spring and Fall Ball season. The good news is, when reviewing the past five years, we recorded our second highest positive score in team balance last spring and our highest score last fall. Our incremental improvements are working, but we understand our families are asking us to take the next step in making improvements. We’re also being methodical in our approach. To not lose the momentum we’re gaining, we’re taking a scalpel approach to fine-tune our efforts rather than a hatchet approach that risks unintended consequences. As a result, below are a series of notable improvements that we will implement in 2026, including:

• Individual Player Requests To Be Limited in 2026 | We recognize many of our ballplayers choose OYO to create memories while learning key fundamentals about the game of baseball and softball. In short, this is their happy place each and every spring and fall. We will not crush those hopes and dreams of connecting with a friend and having the chance to make a dynamic play on field and celebrating with long-time and new friends, too. Yet, we recognize the need to find a balance between those who thoughtfully request a single teammate with those who request a “team” of teammates. As a result, the following changes are being implemented this spring during the registration process:
  • Where the question requests “Relatives in Same League/Division”, only those listed with explanation of the relationship between the two players will be granted
  • Any registration where a player requests more than one player will leave it to the commissioner’s judgment which of the players will be eligible to be paired up as teammates
  • We can no longer guarantee placement for any player who requests a specific coach for their ballplayer; however, we will honor the rare, infrequent requests for a player not to be assigned to a team involving a specific coach identified
  • We will continue to honor families’ feedback about which weeknights are not convenient for practice
  • In adherence with OYO’s 52-year tradition of being a place for every ballplayer financial and timing means notwithstanding, OYO will continue to welcome late registrants until each division is full; however, we will no longer promote a “recruit-a-friend” concept in any division except Tee Ball and Challenger (so, all ballplayers who register after rosters are released will be assigned to the team most in need regardless of comments)
• Distributing All-Star Players Evenly | With the new process of selecting a majority of the All-Star team members for each team in the fall, we have a clear understanding of the All-Star Bombers and All-Star Red Storm players in every division. As a result, unless siblings/relatives, these already-selected All-Star players will be evenly distributed among all teams in each division.
• Follow the Team Selection Process Thoroughly | For nearly a decade, we followed a rigorous nine-step process in how teams were constructed. In recent years, we softened our thoroughness to try to accommodate the broad range of requests. It goes without saying, that approach resulted in lower overall team balance feedback from our families. In 2026, we will resume our efforts to follow this structured process in tandem with the aforementioned improvements.
• Run Beta Test on Draft Concept | We will identify two divisions — one baseball, one softball — to test pilot a draft concept for their divisions. We will evaluate and compare the results following the season to determine if additional long-term changes should be incorporated.

How many teams will OYO offer in 2026?

At this time, OYO has constructed a robust plan for our rec league consisting of 96 teams and 1,110 players. The chart below breaks down our registration targets for 2026. Of course, we’ll be flexible, too. If some divisions are showing signs of attracting more players, we will adjust accordingly. That said, to make OYO be the place for everyone who wants to call OYO home for their baseball and/or softball experience, we need coaches. And this specifically indicates we need 96 volunteer head coaches this spring. There are so many rewards that come with this remarkable opportunity to coach, including being a role model players respect, witnessing players growth and development, receiving valuable tools and training from OYO staff and peer coaches in your division, and a rewarding coach incentive at the end of the season to be applied to a future player registration.

Got Questions?

Feel free to contact any OYO Board Member to better understand how these changes will help improve your overall experience in 2026. If you’re not sure who to contact or where to begin, simply email Michael DeSanto, OYO President.