COMM U N I T Y
BY: RAE LYNN PAYTON
Rebranding Norman Youth Baseball
Norman United is transforming local youth baseball in enduring ways
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ocal little leaguers can find a combination of support, training and success in the baseball program at Norman United Baseball Academy. The academy’s primary mission is to provide youth with an optimal learning experience, with influence from both Norman North and Norman High staff that prepares students for secondary play, regardless of their school district. Norman North High School baseball coach Brian Aylor shared that youth baseball in Norman has struggled for years to align to consistent standards, often causing many families to leave for other youth baseball opportunities in the surrounding metro area.
Aylor and Dolejsi then came up with the idea to create Norman United out of a love for their community and for the sport. “We wanted to finally try to unite all kids in Norman no matter where they go to school. Our goal was to get them playing baseball together under the same system and learning from high school coaches. We rebranded NYBA to take the organization to another level that would directly and vertically align with the high school coaches,” he explained. They incorporated both high schools’ colors, green and orange, in their design in an effort to represent both schools and unify the teams.
The Norman Youth Baseball Association (NYBA) approached Aylor and assistant coach Brad Dolejsi about working together to strengthen Norman’s youth baseball program.
After 17 years in the community, Coach Aylor describes the movement as a city-wide effort that is something much bigger than their own programs.
“They were a really great group of people that have done a lot for baseball in Norman and wanted to work together to find a way to help kids want to stay and play in Norman,” Aylor said.
“Myself, Coach Dolejsi, Coach Cody Merrell of Norman High and all of the coaches just want to give back and work together to train these kids and prepare them for what it will take to get them ready to be a high school baseball player, no matter where they go to school,” he shared.
62 | April 2021
