Edmond awards youth baseball & softball league programs

The Edmond City Council voted in October 2021 to end a contract with the existing operator of the City’s youth baseball and softball programs, and a Request for Qualifications was then issued for a new entity to manage these popular programs.

Thirteen responses were submitted to the RFQ. A panel of City staff and volunteer board members reviewed the submissions and selected six to move on to the next round in the process. Seven of the 13 responses were from Edmond, two were national organizations, and the remainder were local to the Oklahoma City metro area. At least three of the submissions were newly-created businesses formed in November 2021. According to the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s website these were Edmond Youth Sports Association, Perfect Game Athletics LLC, and A Plus Athletics LLC.

The City panel looked for aspects including past experience, effective planning, emphasis on recreation players, field maintenance ability, and the capacity to offer quality tournaments. The panel unanimously selected Edmond Youth Sports Association (EYSA) as the entity who would best fulfill the administration of youth baseball and softball programs for Edmond. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board also approved EYSA.

Jeff Ludlam, a local attorney and business owner, is the point person for Edmond Youth Sports Association. Ludlam has a history of running successful youth programs and related businesses. He managed Legacy Sports Plex in Oklahoma City from 2009 to 2014 and runs two other sports-related businesses. Ludlam added several other professionals to his team to help focus on the many aspects of the comprehensive program, including field construction, umpiring, and softball.

The Edmond City Council voted to approve EYSA and finalize the contract on December 28th, 2021. The term for the agreement is one-year and can renew annually for up to four years. EYSA is now operating leagues and tournaments at A.C. Caplinger Sports Complex and Mitch Park.