08/21/2026
Dear Pioneer Youth Sports Community,
After a great deal of thought, I have decided that I will be stepping down as President from the Pioneer Youth Sports Board at the conclusion of the current year. Elections for all board positions will be held this October.
I have had the privilege of serving on the Pioneer Youth Sports Board since 2018, and I have been coaching kids in this community since 2013. It is difficult to put into words just how much this organization and the people in it have meant to me over those years.
When I first started coaching, I certainly never imagined where it would lead. Over the past 13 years, I have been fortunate enough to coach hundreds of kids, work alongside some incredible coaches and volunteers, spend countless hours on fields, and help guide an organization that has had a tremendous impact on families throughout our community.
Serving on the Board-and particularly serving as President-has been incredibly rewarding, but it has also required a significant commitment of time and energy. I believe the end of this term is the right time for me to step aside and allow someone new to bring their own ideas, energy, and leadership to Pioneer Youth Sports.
I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished together. Like any organization, we haven't gotten everything right, and there have certainly been challenges along the way. I truly believe we have always tried to make decisions based on what was best for the kids and for the long-term health of Pioneer Youth Sports, and I’m incredibly proud of that.
Most importantly, I want to thank everyone who has given their time to make this organization work-the Board members, coaches, assistant coaches, team parents, umpires, field volunteers, sponsors, families, and all the community partners. Youth sports simply do not happen without people willing to give their evenings, weekends, and countless unseen hours for the kids in our community.
And to all of the players I have had the opportunity to coach, work with, or simply get to know over the years: you are, without question, the reason I kept doing this for as long as I did. There have been plenty of long days, late nights, difficult decisions, and moments over the years when volunteering felt like a second full-time job. But then you show up at the field, you see the kids playing the game they love, and you remember exactly why all of it matters.
I have been incredibly fortunate to watch so many kids grow up through this organization-not just as baseball and softball players, but as people. I have watched nervous little kids step onto a field for the first time, watched players find confidence they didn't know they had, watched teammates become lifelong friends, and watched kids who I coached when they were young eventually become high school athletes and young adults. Being able to have even a small part in those journeys has meant more to me than I could ever adequately put into words.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve this community. It has truly been an honor.
Kris McFarland
President, Pioneer Youth Sports
