RB Girls Softball is not just a sports programme for girls, but part of the cultural and social life of Rancho Bernardo and the surrounding area. Young athletes take to the field, while behind the scenes, dozens of people and organisations work to create the conditions for their growth. There are two pillars of this success: dedicated volunteers and reliable sponsors. Here’s how the Rancho Bernardo Girls Softball League https://rbgirlssoftball.org/ is organised and why it is so important for sport and society.
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About RBGSL
The Rancho Bernardo Girls’ Softball League (RBGSL) is not just a sports organisation, but one of the oldest and most significant amateur communities in Southern California. Founded in 1971, the league has become a place where girls aged 4 to 14 learn the basics of the game, develop athletic skills and build team spirit.
The RBGSL operates as a non-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers. This means that parents, coaches, sponsors and local residents contribute personally to every game, tournament and practice. The league collaborates with the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), which allows its teams to participate in county, regional and national competitions, as well as comply with uniform rules and safety standards.
In more than half a century of existence, the RBGSL has produced hundreds of athletes, many of whom have gone on to play for school, college and even professional teams. But the league’s greatest value lies not in medals and titles, but in the fact that it has become a focal point for the entire community, bringing together generations of players and their families around a love of softball.
The Community That Keeps the League Afloat
RB Girls Softball does not have the structure of professional clubs and academies with paid managers and coaches. Everything is held together by people who believe in the value of children’s sports and are willing to invest their time, energy and knowledge in it.
Most of the team are parents of current and former players. They become coaches, assistants at games, event organisers, and trip coordinators. At the same time, everyone has their own life: work, family, personal affairs, but for the sake of the league, they find time to go out to the field, the meeting hall, or the park to prepare the playing area.
The veterans of the programme, whose children have already grown up but who continue to help, occupy a special place in the community. This could be a former coach who now comes to help new mentors prepare for tournaments. Or a parent who has been responsible for keeping statistics and updating the league website for several seasons in a row.
The work is divided so that everyone does what they do best. Some take care of paperwork and team registration, others organise meals for participants, and still others monitor safety and medical training. There are also those who do the “invisible” work — repairing equipment, preparing inventory, and cleaning the field after games.
This community does not simply serve the sporting process — it creates an atmosphere of support and mutual assistance. The girls see that their success on the field is the result of the joint efforts of dozens of people. This teaches them to value everyone’s contribution, respect hard work and understand that team spirit is important not only in the game, but also beyond it.
Sponsors Who Help the League Grow
The financial stability of any amateur league depends largely on sponsors, and RB Girls Softball is no exception. Among its key partners are companies and organisations that provide not only funds but also resources: paying for field rentals, purchasing sports equipment, and helping to organise away games.
The league collaborates with businesses at various levels of partnership. For example, platinum sponsors such as i-Ortho and Sweetgreen receive large advertising spaces on the fields and in league materials. Bronze sponsors make a smaller financial contribution, but their help is no less important: it can go towards:
- Paying referees;
- Printing the season programme;
- Purchase of additional uniforms for new participants.
This approach allows for flexible distribution of the workload among partners and ensures the sustainable development of the programme.
Sports Fashion and Sponsors. How Uniforms Became the League’s Calling Card
At RB Girls Softball, uniforms are not just comfortable clothing for playing, but part of the team’s brand and visual identity. Every detail, from the colour of the cap to the font on the jersey, is created with the wishes of the players, coaches and, of course, sponsors in mind.
Some partners participate in the design of the uniforms, integrating their logos so that they look stylish and harmonious. For example, a local sports equipment store suggested adding motivational phrases to the training T-shirts, and one of the restaurant sponsors suggested placing a small QR code that links to a website with the match schedule. As a result, the uniform has become not only a piece of equipment, but also a tool for communicating with fans.
Interestingly, the design is updated every few seasons, and the girls themselves are involved in the process. This creates a sense of belonging:
- The players take to the field in uniforms they helped design;
- Sponsors receive a branded product that is associated with energy and team spirit.
Traditions of Support: From Pizza to Fundraising
RB Girls Softball has a history of partnerships spanning decades. One of the most notable examples of long-term support is Round Table Pizza, which has been working with the league since the 1970s. It all started with one-off promotions, but over time it grew into a permanent partnership: joint events, charity evenings and fundraisers, with part of the proceeds going to the league.
In addition to commercial partners, the league actively uses traditional fundraising formats. These include selling sweets and drinks at games, car washes, themed evenings, sports challenges and even family picnics with paid participation. Such events not only replenish the budget, but also bring the players’ families together and create the atmosphere of a real sports community, where success on the field is the result of collective efforts.
