Parents question Spring Area Youth Softball League nonprofit status, field conditions

Parents who have paid into Spring Area Youth Softball for years are now asking a basic question with big financial consequences: if the league is not a registered nonprofit, where does the money go?

The concerns sharpened after families noticed poor field conditions at Bayer Park in Spring, including an overgrown field and scoreboards that were not working. The league says all games and practices are held at the Harris County Precinct 4 park at 24811 W. Hardy Rd., a setting that makes maintenance, scheduling and basic upkeep visible to every family that shows up.

Spring Area Youth Softball, known as SAYS, says it is a recreational softball league for girls ages 3 to 18 and offers fall and spring seasons. Its FAQ says registration fees help pay for uniforms, insurance, umpires, field maintenance, utilities and other operating expenses, which is why the league’s nonprofit status matters to parents trying to understand whether their payments are supporting the program as promised.

Public nonprofit records show the organization used EIN 20-4031157, was granted federal tax-exempt status in March 2006 and had that status automatically revoked on May 15, 2021 after failing to file for three consecutive years. IRS rules require most tax-exempt organizations to file annual returns or notices, and automatic revocation can follow when those filings stop. Spring Area Youth Softball was also incorporated in Texas as a domestic nonprofit corporation on May 12, 2005.

Board member Mark Orneales said the league believed its last filing was in 2017, that 2018 and 2019 were not filed, and that notices were sent to an old P.O. box before the revocation. He also said the league’s sponsor page and donation information were removed within an hour after reporters contacted league leadership, adding to parents’ suspicions about transparency.

The money question is not small. Parents said they pay about $120 for registration and another $200 in fundraising, and parent Jesenia Torres said she wants to know where the investment is and whether funds are being put back into the program. For families juggling youth sports costs, a nonprofit lapse raises immediate concerns about tax treatment, donor confidence, insurance coverage and whether the league is being overseen the way parents expected.

The league’s own board page says monthly meetings are held on the second Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Bayer Park and lists Kelsey Rickert as president and Winona Lincoln as treasurer, along with Maria DeLaRosa, Eric Casro, Mark Orneales, Jade Lopez, Yessie Bonilla and Joy Cromwell. With spring registration typically opening in November and games usually set for 12 regular-season contests, parents now want clear answers before another season depends on trust that already looks strained.