2024 Board Election

Baseball has been a long-standing passion of mine, as a player, coach and as a fan. Over the years, I’ve

witnessed firsthand the benefits of youth sports, not just in terms of physical fitness, but in fostering

teamwork, discipline, and resilience in young people. I have been involved in the local sports

community over the past 4 years as a coach, attending games, supporting local teams, and seeing how

meaningful these experiences are for the kids involved.

As someone who values the positive influence that youth sports can have, I decided to run for the youth

baseball board to give back to the community in a meaningful way. I believe that by contributing my

leadership skills and enthusiasm for baseball, I can help create a better experience for the players, their

families, and the coaches. My goal is to support the organization in ensuring that the league is inclusive,

well-organized, and focused on player development both on and off the field. My belief is that keeping

kids involved in sports such as baseball makes an impact on them over learn skills and lessons that can

positively impact them over their lifespan.

I also see an opportunity to advocate areas remain in place that are working well, meanwhile find

opportunities to enhance the league's operations, improve communication, and address any challenges

that come with managing a youth sports program. Whether it’s securing better resources for the teams

or promoting a stronger sense of community among families - I’m motivated to make a positive impact.

By running for the board, I hope to play a role in shaping the future of the league, helping young

athletes build confidence, skills, and a lasting love for the game.

Outside of sports, in my professional role I direct a team of 10 business development managers. In the

two years managing the team we have seen the largest sales growth in the team managed amongst our

other peers. The success has been seen through knowing what our responsibilities are, holding each

other accountable and constantly looking for ways to learn, develop and innovate. This has allowed

great winning culture where we can feel safe to provide constructive feedback to be lifelong students of

our craft and continue to grow 1% better every day.

Thank you for your consideration.

Best,

Aaron LeHew

Hello Lodi!

My name is Andy Buonincontro and I have been part of the Lodi community for almost 9 years now. My wife, Katie and I have two great kids who are both part of the youth baseball and softball program, as well as the soccer and basketball programs. Our son, Drew is a 5th grader and our daughter Gianna is a 3rd grader. I have been involved with coaching Drew's basketball and baseball teams since he was able to play and Katie has been involved in coaching Gianna's soccer and softball teams. 

I would like to be part of the Lodi Youth Baseball and Softball board because I would like to help to continue to build a successful program for our youth. I would like to collaborate with coaches, players, parents and board members to find positive ways to challenge our competitive teams while also growing our developmental program and opportunities. I appreciate the nomination, and thank you for your consideration!

Andy Buonincontro

Hello!

My name is Bayley Blankenberg and I have been nominated for the Board of Directors for LAYBS.

I grew up in Lodi and am now raising my family in Lodi. Sports and coaching have always been a part of my life, in high school I helped coach t-ball and pitching machine teams for my siblings and assisted in running many youth camps.

I have four children, ages 10 and under, that go to school in the district and all play softball or baseball, so I will be involved with this program for many years to come.

As a parent now, I am going into my 4^th year coaching my daughters’ teams (basketball and softball)

I love this community and want to help cultivate the best program possible for our youth and their families. I hope to bring a different perspective and some new ideas for fundraising.

I am confident I can help make a difference in Lodi and with the LAYBS.

Hello Lodi ball community,

My name is Cole Cook and I am running for a spot on the LAYBS board. My wife Jehvana and I have lived in Lodi for almost 11 years. We have 3 kids who have had their share of experience with youth sports in Lodi. Braxton is in 6th grade, Braelyn is in 5th and our youngest Brysen is in 3rd.

I grew up in Middleton playing a variety of sports including basketball, baseball and football. I played both Varsity Football and Baseball and was Captain of the 2003 baseball team that won state. After high school, I continued playing baseball at UW Oshkosh, where I learned the importance of hard work and dedication to my craft. After college I played 10+ years of Home Talent baseball. I love the game of baseball and the life lessons it has taught me along the way.

The reason why I am running for a spot on LAYBS board is because with all my years of playing ball, I know the importance of development and patience. This includes all ages from first year players to players that are transitioning out of the program. Kids mature at different rates, why is why I believe opportunities for camps or other training programs are important. These opportunities can allow kids to reach their maximum potential. The more players that make it all the way through a program sets up a better Varsity level program. I also believe there are opportunities to create a uniform program from the Varsity team all the way down through the youth program of both baseball and softball, similar to what other programs in Lodi have done. Consistency is important.

My intentions, if elected to the board, are to provide transparency where applicable, listen to feedback from peers and parents and to put the best interests of the kids first. I would love the chance to make this a program that everyone wants to be a part of.

#Lodipride

- Cole



My name is Jehvana Cook! I have been a Lodi resident for 11 years. I have a husband

named Cole (we met in Highschool playing ball!) We have our 3 children who are heavily involved

in an array of Lodi Athletics (including Softball and Baseball). My son Braxton is 11, Daughter

Braelyn is 10 and youngest son Brysen is 8. Like many other parents in town, I am sure we have

crossed paths at one point or another while shuttling kids between sports, coaching or other

extracurricular activities!

I was born and raised in California in the early years of my youth. This is where I first

experienced my enjoyment for the game of ball. I started my ball years playing coach pitch baseball

with my peers (yes, a girl playing baseball!). I then transitioned into playing softball, which I

continued to play for many years and even after my Family moved to Middleton, Wisconsin. I

played Middleton HS softball at a competitive level all 4 years and a little bit in college. My

experience mixed with my desire to help positively mold our youth in sports has led me to

coaching positions over the years. From this exposure and involvement, I have gained a lot of

knowledge in the operations of leagues/tournaments. I have also built many great relationships

with other knowledgeable members of baseball/softball communities. Which is a helpful tool of

resources to reference.

I have been encouraged by friends and acquaintances in the Lodi community to put forth

my efforts with what I can provide to support a program beyond coaching. By being a candidate in

joining the leadership team of the LAYBS board. What I have learned over the years as a parent is

that these youth programs cannot operate successfully without knowledgeable and dedicated

volunteers that have the best interest of the kids at the forefront. Without the kids, there wouldn’t

be a program to operate. Being a board member is a thankless role, with the intention to make for

the best environment for all our youth athletes to grow, learn and develop into their potential on

their individual unique growth path. My intentions, if elected, as a member on the board are to be

open-minded to feedback from families, provide suggestions, opportunities and to help be a voice

for our youth. I understand that pleasing everyone is a challenging task (and realistically may not

be achievable), but I believe that with my relevant experiences, reliable resources, dedication, and

organizational skills, I can offer a voice to sustain a program that families in the community

appreciate and trust.