La Costa Youth Organization

La Costa Youth Organization offers organized baseball and softball programs, including spring and fall seasons for both sports. The program includes divisions such as Shetland (TBall), Pinto, Mustang, Bronco, and Pony for baseball, and Pee Wee, 8U, 10U, 12U, and 14U for softball. It also runs the LCYO Champions division, a co-ed baseball and softball program for players with special needs, where each player is partnered with a Champions buddy, typically a player 12–16 years of age.

• Ages: 5–14 years old
• Schedule: Spring season runs from early February through the middle of May, with registration from December 1 through January 1, mandatory player evaluations in January, practices starting in early February for about three weeks, and two games per week from early March to mid-May; fall baseball season runs from late August through late November, with registration from July 1 through August 15, 2–3 practices followed by a 10–11 game season held on Sundays only.
• Price: Spring season fees include a team jersey, hat, socks, and trophy (which may vary by division); fall baseball season fees include a team jersey and hat for baseball and a team jersey and socks for softball; no fees are charged for the LCYO Champions program.

La Costa Youth Organization is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has been operating since 1979, with 2025 marking 46 years since it began. It is a 100% volunteer organization with no office or paid office staff and serves over 1,100 players in the spring season. LCYO’s baseball programs are associated with Pony Baseball, and its softball programs are associated with USA Softball. The organization provides baseball and softball programs mainly for youths from Carlsbad, Encinitas, and San Marcos, with additional players from Rancho Santa Fe, Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, and San Diego, and it has a Code of Conduct for players, directors, coaches, and parents/spectators.

The LCYO Champions division is specifically for players with special needs to participate in baseball and softball on co-ed teams, and LCYO provides uniforms, hats, trophies, and more for both Champions players and their buddies at no cost. Spring season teams in Tee Ball and Pee Wee are formed by coaches and directors, while all other divisions use a formal draft based on mandatory evaluations, and in the fall season player requests to play with friends are accepted, with an emphasis on development, exposure to new division rules and field sizes, and trying various positions.

LCYO is led by a volunteer board and directors, including President Adam Tepper, Treasurer and Compliance Director Donelle Anderson, Registrar/Web Director Jeff Lerner, Sponsorship Director Kerry Vara, Special Events Director and Recording Secretary Claudia Espinosa, Communications Director Brook Barnes, Baseball Vice Presidents Drew Lieberman, Sharon Huston, and Donelle Anderson, and Softball President Matt Dooley with co–Vice Presidents Jeff Beckley, Kyle Redfield, and Austin Wheelon. Additional roles include division directors for each baseball and softball age group, a Champions Director, Medical Advisor, Step Up Director, player development directors, equipment and uniforms directors, fields and scheduling staff, and team parent directors for both baseball and softball.

LCYO also offers an LCYO Drinkware Store that gives $5 back to the organization for each item sold, with drinkware available in navy, black, white, and grey, priced from $25 to $34.50, and free delivery or shipping for Carlsbad residents, with the option to add an athlete’s or coach’s name to the items. The organization states that its goal is to provide an environment that enhances participants’ self-esteem and physical mobility and embodies the spirit of teamwork and community, and that its number one rule is to “Have Fun!”

Last updated March 25, 2026.