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membership, which allows them to come back during
breaks," says Lesa. "We really feel it's important
to keep that relationship." For example, a New York
Yankees pitcher led a pitching program at the facility
in the fall.
Recently, the facility has been pushing to expand its
complimentary offerings with a sports performance
program, including nutrition training, weightlifting,
and access to a trainer via an app.
They're also working to adopt a program, used by
major league teams, that helps players and coaches
analyze pitching and hitting. "We're really investing in
technology and how that can help our athletes pinpoint
where they can set goals for themselves and then
meet them."
Key to everything at the facility is the staff. "It's not
a big staff, but we have a super-committed group of
people that love baseball and softball," she says. "This
is something that really makes the facility stand out.
I have a core of five staff that I inherited that already
had set high goals and committed to them."
Even as executive director, Lesa will sometimes take
a shift at the front desk. "That's how you get to know
people," she says. "When someone walks in the door
and you know their name or they know yours, that just
makes such a difference."
When she joined the organization a few years ago,
Lesa was amazed at how much the facility and the
little league were ingrained into the community. "It
really didn't matter where I went. I just mentioned I
