Stafford Little League Has A New Leadership Team

With so much snow on the ground, baseball season may be the last thing on your mind, but over at Stafford Little League (SLL), a group of volunteers is already focused on the season ahead. SLL had a tough 2025, kicking off the year amid accusations and rumors about the handling of its funds. Now, the organization seems to be taking the energy from 2025 and rolling it into change for 2026. With new leadership in place, the board is returning to its 501(c)(3) roots and trying to make amends with community members who may have lost trust in the organization.

New League President Nick Boudreau says, Over the past year, many families and volunteers felt there was a gap between what players needed and how the league was operating. A group of coaches, parents, and volunteers believed the league would better benefit from clearer communication, better organization and planning, and a more collaborative approach to bring energy and enjoyment back to the program. When it became clear those concerns weren’t being addressed, this group chose to step forward and offer a different approach.”

Source: Stafford Little League Facebook page.

Boudreau says SLL volunteers are trying to get out into the community, such as at a recent registration event at the town’s recreational basketball games, but this new board also wants to reach out beyond Stafford’s borders. From working more closely with District 12 to ensure Stafford’s kids get a chance to play in district playoffs to working with Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) for training opportunities.

“Both of the VPs of baseball, Tim Lam, and softball, Nick Trainor, have been great about going out and finding different avenues to bring clinics to the little leaguers of this town. We just made an announcement for a pitching clinic on the baseball side, and we are currently working towards a clinic for the softball side as well,” Bousdreau says.

Perhaps the biggest change of the season is the league’s move back to 501(c)(3) status, which Bousdreau says offers practical benefits, such as tax-exempt status for making purchases or raising money. Donations will now be tax-deductible, and Boudreau also says, “We had two offers from local businesses to redo the bathroom facilities at Kealy (which are in dire need of renovations) and to redo our fields as well in the springtime. Now that we have the 501 status, we can take advantage of these offers, and it will benefit the businesses that perform the work, as well as, the Little League as a whole.” If you’re looking to make a tax-deductible donation, SLL will release its sponsorship packages shortly.

But if last year’s controversies have left you feeling wary of getting involved with SLL, the new leadership hopes you will attend some meetings and start rebuilding your trust. “After last season, the trust between the community and the Little League was broken,” says Boudreau. “I can’t say that I would blame anyone who did not currently trust the Little League. We are hoping that by encouraging the public to attend meetings, at the very least, they will see that this board is going to be as transparent as possible. We hope that it will go a long way with the people who may have lost trust. We also want to encourage the public to come and share their ideas, thoughts, comments, or concerns. Collaboration with the community can be just as important as collaboration amongst the board members.”

He adds, “Any volunteer-run organization will have disagreements, but it’s important to be open to change and willing to try new ideas if we want baseball and softball to be engaging to kids with a wide range of expectations.” He’s been working with the new volunteers and says he is grateful for the people willing to run for the board as well as for the people who came out to vote for the new board. 

There was plenty of energy and lots of ideas at the first meeting under new leadership, according to Boudreau. “One in particular, our current Treasurer, Andy Roland, suggested that we do an end-of-the-year ‘skills challenge.’ A lot of pro sports have added these types of events to their All-Star weekends. We plan on doing this after our playoffs and before the All-Star season takes place. The idea behind it is to get all the kids to compete in a series of fun games and challenges to wrap up the year and do an end-of-the-year trophy presentation at the end, along with some prizes for the players who win the challenges.”

For now, those are just ideas, but the board is optimistic that it can make it happen by the end of the season. In the meantime, be on the lookout for SLL’s fundraising events: “Purse bingo will be back, as that has been a popular and successful one. Our Secretary, Heather Galotto, always does a great job putting this on. The golf tournament will be back as well, with a projected timeframe of August.”

Right now, SLL is focused on registrations, assessments, and planning to make opening day a fun community event. If you see Boudreau around town, he would love it if you stopped him, said hello, and asked questions.