SUMMER CELEBRATION MALLORY TINGLE LANDRY FIELDS TOYE STORY
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CONTENTS Featuring
SUMMER CELEBRATION Around the park, around the town, and beyond — games were played, skills were honed, and memories were etched.
4 GRATEFUL DAWG
Throughout the years, NYO has been a very special place to me – Mallory Tingle
6 A HELPING HAND
Landry Fields’ vision for the ATL Bucks includes, but is not limited to, wins on the basketball court.
8 TOYE STORY
Whether it was being dragged along to my brother’s games or it was my turn to try every sport offered under the sun, the Toye family lived at NYO.
DEpartments
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ATL Patriots................................ Kayla Cato Fastpitch.......................................Brian Raley
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Josh Burr EDITOR Stacie Gotllieb DESIGN/PRODUCTION Kendall Young
THE
SUMMER OF FRIENDSHIP A
CONTRIBUTORS Glenny Brown, Photography Eric Sharp, Contributor Chesny Young, Writer ADVERTISING Barbara Jackson NEW SOUTH PUBLISHING, INC. Robyn Sobelson John Hanna Megan Willis Amy Fine
BY Kira-Marie Burr
s a mom, this summer reminded me that sometimes the greatest part of youth sports has nothing to do with the scoreboard. Watching Marlow this Summer Ball season has been such a joy. Of course I loved seeing her improve on the field, but what stood out the most was watching her friendships grow. Whether they were laughing in the dugout, cheering each other on, or spending every evening together at the ballpark, this season was about so much more than softball. There is something special about Summer Ball. Because the girls spend so much time together, the friendships become even stronger. This year, I watched Marlow and so many of her teammates truly flourish, not just as players, but as friends. The memories they made between innings, after games, and all the moments in between are the ones they’ll carry with them long after the season ends. As I looked around the fields this summer, I realized
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nyosports.com nyosportsreport.com @nyosports facebook.com/nyosports The NYO SportsReport is published seasonally for Northside Youth Organization (NYO) by New South Publishing, Inc., 9040 Roswell Road, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA 30350. For advertising, circulation, or editorial inquiries, contact Barbara Jackson: thejackson04@gmail.com For publishing or mailing questions: info@nspmag.com ©2026 Northside Youth Organization. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Information contained in this publication is believed to be accurate; however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Printed in the U.S.A.
STACY SHAILENDRA For Families Playing the Long Game, Your Next Move Deserves the Right COACH and STRATEGIST STACYSHAILENDRA.COM | c. 404.861.6500 | o. 404.480.HOME ANSLEYRE.COM | 404.480.HOME | 3035 PEACHTREE ROAD, SUITE 202, ATLANTA, GA 30305 All data believed to be accurate but not warranted. Ansley upholds Equal Housing Opportunity & Federal Fair Housing policies. If you have an existing relationship with another brokerage, this is not intended as a solicitation.
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Jeff, Mallory and Julie Tingle
GRATEFUL NYO’s 2026 Chris Deisley Award for Character & Sportsmanship
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hroughout the years, NYO has been a very special place to me. This organization has given me lifelong friendships and confidence, while also teaching me leadership skills and good sportsmanship. I am thankful for all the great coaches I’ve had over the years; they have provided me with great instruction and have taught me basic fundamentals. When I was six years old, my dad told me that he had signed me up for softball. At first, I was supernervous, but I soon realized it was the best thing in which I had ever participated. It became such a big part of my life. From kindergarten to 12th grade many things have changed, but NYO has been the one consistent thing in my life. I would like to thank Mike Mabry and Brad Glenn for always being confident in my abilities during Riverwood softball and NYO softball. Dave Ryan and Mike Slawson also played a prominent role in believing in me as a younger player during the
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DAWG
BY Mallory Tingle
NYO and travel season. I would also like to thank Bryan and Lucie Raley and Maddy Djuric for their encouragement and support on and off the field. I was lucky to have them as coaches twice in my Senior league experience. Lastly, I would As a graduate of Riverwood, like to thank Coach Mallory is starting her freshman year at the University of Georgia Silverstein for his support over the years. Whenever my dad and I would practice at the field, which was often, we would always see Coach Silverstein with a big smile on his face and words of encouragement and kindness. I was honored to receive the Chris Deisley award, and I appreciated everyone’s support and confidence in nominating me. If any young girl is wanting to try softball but is scared to put herself out there, my advice to them would be to take a chance with NYO. It is the most positive and rewarding experience I have had in my life. Teammates and friends are numerous! Kalie Chronopoulos, Jaren Glenn, and Mallory played at NYO and Riverwood.
TRAVEL SOFTBALL
Molly Chambers
Kayla Cato - Program Director
ATL Patriots had an exciting and impactful summer, continuing to invest in player development both on and off the field. Our summer camps served more than 50 athletes from across the Atlanta area, with current Patriots players volunteering as instructors and mentors, creating a fun and inspiring environment for the next generation of players. Throughout the summer, Patriots teams continued to compete at a high level in tournament play, earning multiple championship and finalist finishes while reinforcing our commitment to developing fundamentally sound, competitive softball players.
The program also strengthened its coaching staff by welcoming former Princeton University Division I pitcher Molly Chambers as our new Player Development and Pitching Coach. Her experience at the highest collegiate level brings valuable expertise and leadership to our athletes.
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FORMER ATLANTA HAWKS GM LENDS NYO BASKETBALL A HELPING HAND
BY Chesny Young
NYO Basketball, led by its travel program the ATL Bucks, appears to be entering an exciting new chapter. With the opening of a new gym scheduled for January 2027, the basketball background of NYO Executive Director Josh Burr, and the recent guidance of former Atlanta Hawks General Manager Landry Fields, the program’s near future is looking very bright. Landry Fields’ vision for the ATL Bucks includes, but is not limited to, wins on the basketball court. Alongside Burr, he is building a program designed to develop young athletes who can thrive both on the court and off. “We want to build players who can go the distance,” Fields said in an interview, “Whether that’s in a basketball game, becoming a lawyer, or leading a business around Buckhead, our
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goal is to develop people who are prepared for whatever path they choose to take.” That mission, Fields says, starts with selecting the right coaches. “We think about basketball players as having different skill sets,” Fields explains. “I see the same thing but with their coaches. It’s an input-and-output sort of thing. You have to identify and develop the right coaches who can, in turn, develop your players.” Fields knows what elite basketball programs look like. After starring at Stanford University, he played five seasons in the NBA with the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors. In 2022, he became one of the youngest general managers in NBA history when he was named GM of the Atlanta Hawks.
Landry and Elaine
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Today, he serves as head of men’s basketball at Project B, an emerging international basketball league. And while Fields is a basketball team builder through and through, he says he is committed to preserving one of NYO’s defining traditions: the multi-sport athlete. “We want the ATL Bucks to offer year-round opportunities,” he said, “but I also want to honor the prototypical NYO athlete who plays multiple sports.” That philosophy came not only from his own youth sports experience, but also from his experience as a father. Fields and his wife, Elaine, are raising two sons and a young daughter. Their middle son, Kai, is a multisport athlete at NYO. Fields went on to praise NYO and expand upon what the park means to him and his family. When asked what the letters “N-Y-O” signify, Fields
Landry with Kai, Jack, Elaine and Elle.
answered simply: “Community and healthy competition.” When asked about what he thought the letters “N-Y-O” meant to his son he laughed, “The three F’s: fun, friends, and food. Oh, and Jersey Day. My son loves Jersey Day. There is just a special feeling you get when you put on a fresh jersey for the first time.” According to Fields, his family often visits the park even when none of their children have games scheduled. “We know there will be friends there, food there — you can just go and hang out regardless!” he said. As NYO basketball enters a new chapter guided by experienced leadership and aided by the opening of a new gym, it is poised to become one of the premier youth basketball leagues in Atlanta. But if Fields’ vision is realized, NYO will continue to produce young multisport athletes equipped to succeed anywhere life takes them.
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BY Monty Toye
y name is Monty Toye, and like many of the park’s second born children, was quite literally born into the Northside Youth Organization. Whether it was being
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dragged along to my brother’s games or it was my turn to try every sport offered under the sun, the Toye family lived at NYO. PHOTO Kendall Young
................................. BY Chesny Young
I was what we fondly referred to as a “park rat,” playing wallball near Blackwell, starting manhunt games in unused press boxes, and even hiding out in the concession stand with Rachel and Jimmy.
Campbell
At the center of my childhood chaos and living the youthful American Dream, my father, Frank Toye, has been the constant. Before golf carts took over the park, you could see him zooming past you on an electric red moped, and, if you were around way back in the day, the bright turquoise scooter with a milk crate strapped to the back. My dad, for the past 27 years, has given his all to NYO. Frank was the best kind of coach – the secondary who wasn’t as strict as the head coach and let you sneak in the french fries your mom got for you in the 3rd inning because you begged and she believed in carb loading for the big game. He went so far down the team spirit rabbit hole that for my brother Campbell’s t-ball game on the Colorado Rockies, he dyed multiple pairs of clothes and baseball pants purple for the playoffs. Formally, Frank served as the fields manager for much of my life. To be fair, I’m under the assumption he still is, considering he told me at some point around senior year of high school that he thought about giving it up and I cried out so incredulously that he might not have even quit! To imagine NYO without him seemed like it would immediately fall apart. I’d like to say he’s made a few friends along the way, and it’s safe to assume he’s never met a stranger. Those who know Frank consider him kind, energetic, and generous. I know this considering the number of times he’s called me to let me know an NYO staff member is coming to the house to take a shower and to let them in! Most importantly, my dad is committed. He has shown up every night, through literal hurricanes and snowstorms in his golf cart, to lock up the fields for the past 13 years. This piece cannot be without thanks to my mother, Sally, who goes when dad’s out of town and shows up fashionably in her floor length mink coat in the winter, I might add. Nonetheless, as much as I believed NYO couldn’t exist without Frank, I couldn’t imagine this family existing without NYO. As my parents close out this chapter and complete their dream of heading to the beach, we are thankful for every minute with the park. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you on opening day!
Campbell’s Rockies Coach
Monty & Sally
July 4th 2011 PHOTO Paul Ward
Maintenance Duty
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Northside Youth Organization Community Center
From our backyard, to the world. College Football Hall of Fame World-Class Venue
Architecture | Interior Design tvsdesign.com
FASTPITCH 2026 CHAMPIONS . . . . . .
Tournament PCA Honorees Champs
ROOKIE Royals
Gabianelli
James Underwood
Minors Gators Craig Pittman Ellis Majors Longhorns Brandon Rice Mcdonald Seniors Bulldogs Bay Brickley Brickley Maddy Djuric
Lucie Raley
NYO Softball wrapped up a fantastic 2026 spring season with thrilling tournament finishes and a celebratory Park All-Star Night. League champions were crowned across all divisions after exciting tournaments. Parents, players, and coaches celebrated the 2026 spring season at Park All-Star Night on May 12. The pre-game awards ceremony highlighted the program’s spirit, leadership, and included awarding the Charley Brickley Volunteer of the Year Award to Major League Director Charlie D’Amico. The evening also featured All-Star games for Rookie, Minors, Majors, and Seniors, while Kit Kat hosted the Pitch, Hit & Run finals — won by the Kit Kat Red Cherries, who edged the Teal Turtles. Thank you to our players, parents, coaches, and volunteers — see you next spring (and this fall for many)!
Photos Glenny Brown
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BY
Adam Brown
NYO is such a special place and it has been such a full-circle moment in my life and the lives of many others around the park who have spent countless hours as a youth playing, then moving on to coaching, and then moving on to coach their own kids. I started playing baseball at NYO in 1982 and played there all the way through high school, when the Wilkins field used to be the big field.
Robert Unell Lance Levitt
Mike Levy
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Adam Pictured on what is now Barshay West’s turf field.
................................................ NYO is a special place and when I moved back from college I started coaching PONY on Garr field. I did that until my daughters were born and I became an NYO softball dad which has been an amazing experience. My daughters first played smallball and then moved to softball. Being able to coach my daughters in softball has been one of the greatest joys of my life! Reconnecting with so many people from way back when has been such a wonderful thing! Some of my lifelong friendships to this day are guys that I grew up playing NYO sports with – Colin Hubbard, Robert Unell, Jordan Adair and Justin Berman just to name a few. These friendships have also morphed into working together on some things in business and community. Also as rewarding, doing business with the guys I coached as 13- and 14-yearolds. Zach Miller and Marchant Young are just a couple with whom I have
worked with in business. Today, I run Brown Realty Group LLC which is a full-service commercial real estate company. For the past 24 years, I have run into so many familiar faces from NYO. The fun of reminiscing with all the people we grew up playing with and now seeing our kids play and have fun together is so gratifying! NYO has been and will forever hold a special place in the Brown’s hearts, and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for the NYO community! SO many great memories and so many great people have made NYO what it is today!
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Marlow wasn’t the only one. Everywhere you looked, kids were encouraging one another, celebrating each other’s successes, and creating friendships that will last well beyond Summer Ball. To me, this truly was the Summer of Friendship. CONTINUES FROM PAGE
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I’m so grateful to NYO, our coaches, volunteers, and families for creating a community where our kids can grow not only as athletes, but as kind, supportive friends. Those are the moments they’ll remember long after the final game.
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GO TO CHILDREN’S FOR THAT
100% dedicated to treating kids and teens When their play doesn’t go as planned, your child should see a specialist who’s dedicated to caring for growing athletes. While other hospitals may dabble in pediatric care, the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is 100% dedicated to treating kids and teens. No matter how many homers they hit or touchdowns they score, young athletes are different than adults, so they need different care. Their growth plates are still open: If the growth plates are injured and not properly treated, it could mean more time on the bench. Their injuries are different:
Young athletes play harder and are in more competitive sports than adults, so getting care from someone who understands growing athletes matters. They may need a longer recovery period:
Because growing and developing athletes are so active, they need more recovery time to make sure their muscles are ready to get back in the game without re-injury. As Georgia’s only nationally ranked program for kids and teens, our pediatric sports medicine specialists have the training and experience to help get kids moving and back on the field again—not just for one summer, but for many seasons to come.
Visit choa.org/teens to learn more
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SHARE THE GIFT
4
BRAD GUZAN
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SHOOTOUT
HOME AND AWAY
YOUR
HOME
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levinortho.com
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CONTENTS Featuring
HOME AND AWAY We hope you’ve had a wonderful summer filled with fun, relaxation, and plenty of memorable moments! It’s hard to believe that summer is coming to a close and we’re heading into our fall season. In this edition, we celebrate all the families and players who competed here on our fields, hosting The Shootout and Braves Country Tournaments, while our tournament summer teams spread out through the metro area and out of state! We continue to archive our biggest spring efforts in participation to date, along with all the construction that’s sure to make this year one to remember.
2 SHARE THE GIFT
The fields, courts, and gyms are just the beginning. This community has made incredible progress through our Sharing the Gift campaign, but the final buzzer has yet to sound. We’re not done yet!
4 BRAD GUZAN
Guzan pointed to the influence youth sports had on his own life, “Man I just think about how big an impact youth sports had on me...”
8 SHOOTOUT
The level of improvement across all ages 6U-9U over the last six to seven weeks was dramatic. Congratulations to our Shootout Champions!
DEpartments
10 Baseball.......................................Drew Moyer 13 ATL Lightning................... Dan Giordano
Executive Committee
Clete McGinty................PRESIDENT Mark Elliott........................GOVERNMENT LIAISON Spencer Patton...........VP Kenneth Saffold..........CHAIRMAN Allan Gottlieb..................FINANCE/INVESTMENT Larry Bennett................VP FACILITIES Ross Conway................TREASURER Jenni Coleman.............SECRETARY - AUX REP Josh Burr............................EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jane Wilkins....................BOARD EMERITUS At-large / Committee Assignments
Tom Fanning – John Miller – Che Barbour Brian Vogler – Billy Small – Ryan Glover Luke Bayer – Drew Moyer – Brad Guzan Auxiliary Chairs
Wendy Siskin.................GIRLS BASKETBALL Ansley Thomas.................SOFTBALL Emily Kaineg...................BASEBALL Michelle Robinson.....FOOTBALL Emily Bacon.................... CHEERLEADING Alison Strok.....................BOYS BASKETBALL Amy French.....................FLAG FOOTBALL League Commissioners / Directors
Andrea McGrath..........GIRLS BASKETBALL Brian Raley........................SOFTBALL Jake Espenlaub..........BASKETBALL Cliff Barshay....................BASEBALL John Baker.......................FOOTBALL Emily Bacon....................CHEERLEADING Marchant Young..........ALUMNI Kendall Young...............BRAND/TECHNOLOGY Charles Pledger..........DEVELOPMENT Russell Harrell................FLAG FOOTBALL Dan Giordano.................TRAVEL BASEBALL Jacob Morton................CLUB BASKETBALL Kayla Cato.......................TRAVEL SOFTBALL Robert Harris..................FOOTBALL 7 V 7 Quincy Avery.................DIVERSITY Marc Harrigan................MEDICAL
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Share the Gift
Let’s finish strong. Let’s finish together.
If you’ve driven by the park lately, you’ve probably noticed the walls for the new gym are going up! Seeing our vision for this Sharing the Gift campaign take shape is a powerful reminder of just how far we’ve come together. While construction is moving forward, our work isn’t finished yet. We’re closer than ever to reaching our campaign goal for the renovated and expanded gymnasium and are already looking ahead to what’s next. There is some exciting news on the horizon, and an official announcement is coming soon, but to unlock Phase II, we need to close the remaining $500,000 gap for Phase I. Every gift, no matter the amount, moves us closer to the goal line and helps us ensure we can bring this full vision to life to serve not only current NYO families, but those generations to come. At NYO, we’re building more than just place to play – we’re building the future of our community. The fields, courts, and gyms are just the beginning. NYO thrives because of YOU and your family. Let’s huddle together and make that buzzer beater. Help us finish what we have started. To learn more about NYO and the Campaign, check out our Givebutter QR on right!
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ARCHITECTURE - INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE - INTERIORS
NYO’s Ties to the FIFA
World Cup
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BY Chesny Young
fter retiring from a 20-year professional soccer career last year, Brad Guzan has hardly slowed down. He spent his summer 2026 as a broadcaster for Fox covering FIFA World Cup matches across North and South America. Guzan called 17 total matches, including every United States match and the World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina. With a whirlwind summer behind him, Guzan says he’s looking forward to being home and spending time around the park. The SportsReport talked to Guzan about, naturally, soccer. Guzan believes that it may take time to fully understand the impact World Cup 2026 will have on the American soccer landscape, but he expects participation at the youth level to increase significantly. “An event like that helps inspire the next generation. Young kids see Christian Pulisic, they see Kylian Mbappé and Erling Holland on TV and they are inspired to go join a soccer league.”
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GUZAN Guzan’s FOX Sports World Cup coverage, along with his team, was widely praised.
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Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and Guzan has watched, from a frontrow-seat, its recent growth in the United States. “Its gaining momentum every year” Guzan says. “When you look at soccer as a whole, and you’ve seen it grow over the past decade like I have, you understand that an event like the World Cup, hosted on U.S. soil, can only accelerate soccer’s growth.”
that positive impact for anyone else – that’s what I do it for.” When asked about the coaching philosophy of a former worldclass athlete, Brad emphasized that he is out there to have fun, “especially at the youth level,” Guzan stated. “You gotta be out there intending to have an enjoyable time throughout the season. We want the kids to learn of course, but to have fun, and make new friends and lasting memories.”
Following Brad’s long on-field tenure with Griffin, Brad, Aiden, Emerson, Everly and Breanne Atlanta United, the Guzan family has chosen to reside in Atlanta. Their Brad’s recent promotions with Atlanta United children attend NYO and Guzan has become an suggest the Guzan family will remain in Atlanta active member in our non-soccer community. for the foreseeable future. And while NYO has long been known for its baseball, basketball, football, In addition to his broadcasting work and his roles softball, and cheerleading programs, Guzan hinted as Club Ambassador and Sporting advisor with at a future NYO soccer program. “There Atlanta United, Guzan spends much of his free have been informal conversations,” time coaching youth sports at NYO. “I’ve coached Guzan laughed. baseball, basketball, and flag football teams for our seven-year-old,” he said. “I coached the last year of “dad coaching” for our eleven-year-old, and then I coach my daughter’s softball teams.” Beyond coaching, Guzan has also volunteered his time as a member of the NYO Board of Directors. When asked about what motivated him to join the board, Guzan pointed to the influence youth sports had on his own life: “Man I just think about how big an impact youth sports had on me, both soccer and baseball. Anything I can do to recreate
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BASEBALL BY Drew Moyer
................... Aside from shaky weather at the beginning and end of the season, we were fortunate to have clear skies and pleasant temperatures for the majority of the baseball season.
.. . .
The Numbers · Over 1,400 baseball players - most ever · 121 teams from Small Ball through Bronco
Congratulations to our 2026 Kyle Burnat Award Winner, Jack Cunliffe.
· 22 summer tournament teams (Rookie - Bronco) with a combined record of 366 wins, 176 losses and 14 ties − .675 winning percentage · 23 Summer Shootout teams (Shetland Red - AA)
The Thank Yous A huge thank you to all our volunteers: head coaches, assistant coaches, team parents, score keepers, and team DJs. A special thank you to our league directors whose leadership and perspective helped ensure each of their respective leagues ran smoothly from start to finish.
PCA Honorees
Drew awards Eric Ragone, the 2026 Suzanne Caswell Volunteer of the Year Award.
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Small Ball - Pete Stafford Shetland Blue - Richard DeRossett Shetland Red - Elliott Friedman Rookie - Pat Mancuso A - Mark Ballinger AA - David Greene International - Eric Ragone Majors - Ross Conway Bronco - Che Barbour Chastain - Ken Young
Chris Meyer (Royals) Darren Tobin (Yankees) Michael Seaborn (White Sox) Colin Edwards (Yankees) Bill Holby (Cubs) Jamie Simpson (Pirates) Ray Shrader (Dodgers) Seth White (Red Sox) Duncan Edwards (Phillies)
A big thank you to Larry Bennett, David Bickers, and the Southern Exposures team for consistently caring for and maintaining the best facilities around!
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BASEBALL
2026 CHAMPIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Regular Tournament Tournament Season CHAMPS Champs / Gold Champs / SILVER
Shetland Red
Braves
Cubs
Rockies
Rookie
Orioles
Orioles
Yankees
A League
Astros
Thanks for proudly supporting GIANTS Orioles
AA League
Atkinson
Nichols
Grogan
Swanson
Nichols
Edwards
Marshall
arnold
PIRates
Orioles
Rockies
International
Brewer
Dodgers
Majors
Red Sox
Rays
Bronco
rangers
rangers
Seaborn
Simpson
Kuniansky
White
Lahn
Photographs Glenny Brown
Junger
B . Reynolds
shrader
Bell
Lahn
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HOME AND AWAY BY Jim Nichols
The 6U Summer Shootout wrapped up recently at NYO, officially concluding the season. Overall, it was a very successful summer with approximately 280 children participating in numerous practices, 216 regular season games, and 26 playoff games. A big thank you to all the coaches and assistants who helped make this summer possible. Each age group successfully navigated new rules and challenging schedules — including two games a week for 6U, 7-inning games for 7U, 9-inning games for 8U, and backto-back games for 9U. The level of improvement across all ages over the last six to seven weeks was dramatic.
7U: Red Sox defeated The Bananas
SHOOTOUT
Notably, only one #1 seed won their playoff bracket, which is a testament to the competitive level of play this summer.
8U: Party Animals defeated The Green Jackets
Finally, congratulations to Max Weingart for a remarkable achievement; I believe he is the first at NYO to win both the 9U and 7U Summer Shootout Championships. 6U: The Vibes defeated The Party Animals
9U: Ballers defeated The Spitballers/Bombers
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MORE IMAGES ON PAGE
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BRAVES COUNTRY SUPPORTING
NYO SPORTS ON AND OFF THE FIELD
T R U S T E D R E A L E S TAT E E X P E R T I S E . D E L I V E R I N G E X C E P T I O N A L R E S U LT S .
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HOME AND AWAY
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he Titans brought home a Finalist finish in the Gold Bracket, competing against 30 teams and closing out the tournament with an impressive 8-1 record. It was a week of unforgettable memories, marking these boys’ last official tournament as NYO players. Off the field, the memories were just as special. Between games, the boys cooled
off with pool parties, went on scavenger hunts, spent a day at Dollywood, and enjoyed team dinners together. The dads and coaches escaped for a round of golf, while the moms finally traded their workout clothes for a kid-free dinner. Head Coach: Jeff Wolverton Assistant Coaches: Josh Alterman, Will Goldberg
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HOME AND AWAY
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year of extensive planning and fundraising came to fruition over the Fourth of July holiday for the Georgia Peach Fuzz. Twelve families said “yes” to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the baseball mecca – Cooperstown, NY – for one final baseball tournament together. Many of these boys have played baseball together since they were four years old. This week was the perfect way to close the final chapter of their rec baseball years.
where our boys were on the cusp of becoming young men, but were still very much boys. These are the moments we will look back on years from now and call “the good old days” — core memories that will always remind us of how special this season of life truly was. I am forever grateful.
Cooperstown All-Star Village gave our boys the gift of freedom — the chance to roam, explore, and truly just be boys. They ate ice cream. They traded pins. They had pillow fights. They started a pop-up dance party, running through the players’ village with a speaker held high above their heads, singing at the top of their lungs as more and more kids joined the fun at each stop. They watched fireworks. They played baseball in the heat of the day. They played baseball in the rain. They played baseball until 1:00 in the morning. They played a lot of baseball. Yet, our trip to Cooperstown was about more than just baseball. It was a marker in time
– Ashton Ragone
Boltz take on Cooperstown. We’ll never forget the friendships that were built, the laughs in the bunkhouses, trading pins, hall of fame, the games under the lights, homers, grand slams and all the memories in between. What a dream come true.
– Sabrina Tongren
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TIPS FOR AVOIDING CRAMPS FOR GROWING ATHLETES Heat, dehydration and improper stretching or warmups can increase a growing athlete’s chance of getting muscle cramps. Muscle cramps can occur anywhere on the body but typically target the lower extremities like calves or feet. Here are three ways to help avoid muscle cramps:
1. Drink plenty of water. Pre-hydrate: 30 minutes before any sports activity, kids should drink water until they aren’t thirsty and then drink another eight ounces. During practices or games, make sure kids have the right amount of water to drink for their weight:
Five ounces of water for every 20 minutes of activity for kids weighing less than 90 lbs Eight ounces of water for every 20 minutes of activity for kids weighing more than 90 lbs For activities over an hour, children can drink Gatorade or Powerade. They are designed with electrolytes for rehydration and contain the right amount of carbohydrates.
2. Stretch your muscles before each activity. It is hard to get kids to stretch before sports, but proper warmup is key to muscle health. Whether it’s a dynamic warmup or activity-specific stretching, growing athletes should do a warmup before and after any sports activity to prevent muscle cramps.
3. Don’t suddenly increase the amount of activity or exercise. Encourage children to take their time as they learn a new sport. Growing athletes should gradually start a new or restarted activity, over the course of a few weeks.
How to Treat Muscle Cramps in Growing Athletes If your child or teen does get a muscle cramp, stretching and massaging the area can help alleviate pain or taking over-the-counter medication, such as Tylenol or ibuprofen, if needed. If the muscle cramp doesn’t go away, it is recommended to follow up with your child’s pediatrician, to rule out any underlying issues.
Lindsey Ream, MEd, LAT, ATC is an Athletic Training Manager in the Sports Medicine Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
CHILDREN’S CORNER
Dan Giordano Program Director
2026–27 Tryouts
TRAVEL BASEBALL Summer Season The 2025-2026 season was a rousing success with teams competing from April – July. Our 16 teams from 13U-18U, competed all season across North Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Serving over 200 families decked in ATL Lightning gear, we continue to raise the bar in the competitive travel baseball landscape. Sixteen players from the 2026 graduating class will go play college baseball this fall, and three players from our 2027 class have already committed to play baseball in college. A dozen players across the program have been selected for PG All State Games, and PBR Future Games which represent the best players in the Southeast.
Congratulations to the players selected for the 2026–27 teams. This year we had over 450 players tryout for teams and added a third 16U team and a second 17U team because of the tremendous interest in our program. Fall season will begin in September and run through October.
Summer Camps Our summer camps once again welcomed over 300 campers from the community for skill development, competition, and fun. Campers worked daily on hitting, fielding, throwing, base running, and competed for the coveted BOLT award! Current ATL coaches, players and college aged Bolts worked with the young campers. ATL’s camps are designed for 5-13 and emphasize fundamentals in a fast-paced, positive environment.
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