The Nor Cal Oaks is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing skilled players who want to excel in the game of baseball & softball, while attaining strong character & life skills in a fun & positive environment. The Nor Cal Oaks will assist the youth of our community in developing the qualities of discipline, goal setting, teamwork, & leadership.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Creating a fun, safe environment for our youth.
Create a fun, safe, & competitive environment for the youth of our community to play baseball or softball
Develop qualities of discipline & teamwork amongst our players
Promote sportsmanship & proper competitiveness by achieving team & personal goals
Promote the development of baseball & softball skills & an understanding of the tactics & strategies of the game
Develop & support Coaches that uphold the objectives & guiding principles of the Nor Cal Oaks
Utilize the principles of Positive Coaching
We are committed to protect the health & safety of our players
Strive to create long-term community involvement
Each player who wishes to play travel baseball or softball, should have the opportunity to do so regardless of financial circumstances
Build a winning program, both on & off the field
Building strong character & life skills in a fun & positive environment.
THE NOR CAL OAKS BEST PRACTICES
1). The Nor Cal Oaks is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Coaching, uniforms, tournament fees & field rentals will be provided by the Nor Cal Oaks. Families will be responsible for tournament travel & hotels. If families are able to make a donation to help support the Oaks, it would be appreciated. If families are unable to make a donation, we would ask for in-kind participation by supporting our fundraising activities. Further, we ask that our players take some off field ownership & also participate in our fundraising efforts.
2). Players & families will be required to sign contracts that clearly spell out expectations so that we are all on the same page before the start of each season. These contracts are attached.
3). The Nor Cal Oaks will strive to create a consistent coaching program at all levels. The foundation of our program will be based on the principles of positive coaching.
4). Protecting the safety of our players & families is of utmost importance. we are in the process of crafting our Covid-19 health requirements & protocols. We are in discussions with local health departments & other organizations, & we will have more details about our Covid-19 plan in the coming weeks.
HOW TO DONATE
The Nor Cal Oaks is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Coaching, uniforms, tournament fees & field rentals will be provided by the Nor Cal Oaks. Families will be responsible for tournament travel & hotels. If families are able to make a donation to help support the Oaks, it would be appreciated. If families are unable to make a donation, we would ask for in-kind participation by supporting our fundraising activities. Further, we ask that our players take some off field ownership & also participate in our fundraising efforts.
THE NOR CAL OAKS EXECUTIVE TEAM
Joe Poletto
Founder & President
Hilarie Sander
Secretary
Zach Zeisler
Treasurer
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Joe Poletto
Joe has held executive level positions at HBO, Comedy Central, WebTV & Microsoft. Joe is the Founder & Chairman Emeritus of the Blue Rose Foundation, a charitable organization focused on providing preschool education & resources for children with economic needs.
Jon Titus
Jon is currently the Finance Director of Soiland Co Inc. Previously he managed financial departments in companies including Nelson Staffing, ThermaSource & 2K Games. He also manages the 12 & under divisions for the Nor Cal Oaks.
DIRECTORS OF COACHING
Paul Maytorena
For 23 years, Paul was the head baseball coach at Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, CA. Paul’s career record ranks with the best ever for a baseball coach in the Bay Area. His teams won 406 games, while losing just 136, a winning percentage of .750.
Dave Avila
Since 2016, Dave has been the head baseball coach at Windsor High School. Dave was a standout pitcher at Sonoma State University, & he was signed by the Florida Marlins in 1998.
Casey Maytorena
Casey has been a physical education instructor at Santa Rosa Middle School since 2015. She was an exceptional basketball & softball player at Sonoma State University. Casey has 2 daughters. One is currently competing on the University of Reno softball team & the other is studying music at UCLA.
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Mikey Thalblum
Mikey works for the Oakland Athletics as the visiting clubhouse manager. He started with the club by riding his bike to Spring Training games in Scottsdale, AZ & convinced the team to let him be their bat boy. By the mid 1980s, the Arizona native had moved to the Bay Area & was working full time with the club doing clubhouse duties. Mikey has overseen the A’s visiting clubhouse since 1994 & is actively involved in youth sports in the Bay Area.
Jerry Berkson
Jerry is Assistant Principal at Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto, CA & Founder & President, West Coast Federals, a youth baseball organization based in San Mateo, CA.
If you are interested in a tryout or have questions about the program, please email us.