Quartet of games highlight Roy Gayle baseball, softball opening day

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – The time has come for the start of the 2025 Roy Gayle baseball and softball season.

Organizers said this is one of the area’s most beloved youth sports programs. It features more than one thousand athletes each year. Four teams played this evening to kick off the season at the Randerson Carlson Sports Complex at 903 S. Meridian Rd. in Rockford.

Monday’s games were a taste of what 2025 will bring. Organizers said Roy Gayle baseball and softball brings generations together. Some of the current young athletes have family who played on this field. Several of those former players are now either volunteers or coaches for their kids or grandkids.

“It’s amazing I get to watch them play on the same fields I played on,” said assistant coach Staci Thompson. “I’m excited to be coaching my daughter’s team because I had such great memories of building softball skills and friendships with teammates and confidence in the game which I think is so important for young girls today.”

“We’re just excited for a really good summer and we’re always looking to raise money because we run on volunteers. We run on what the community can give us,” said Roy Gayle board member Tracy Kruse. “Last year, our dugout two was destroyed by the storms and we are still looking to rebuild that.”

May 3 will be the first full Saturday of baseball. The field will be packed Saturday, May 10 for picture day with teams competing throughout the day.

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