We have finished talking about loss, broken promises and teams that jump the city. With the spring spring season, we are delighted to bring the community together to talk about what is new and the next step by highlighting three passionate people who bring energy, pride and joy to sports in Oakland.
Oaklandside culture manufacturers
Thursday June 12, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the New Parkway Theater
* No one will be repressed for lack of funds.
Join us on Thursday, June 12 at 6.30 p.m. at the New Parkway Theater for an unforgettable discussion evening with the director general of Oakland Ballers, Laura Geist, the co-founder of the Oakland Roots football club Tommy Hodul and the president of the Softball of Girls of Oakland Wentworth. They will exchange stories about what it takes to build and maintain sports teams with Community propulsion in Oakland – and what it means to roast for teams that really represent people.
We will also be entitled to a special live musical performance of the Rising Bluegrass duo, Spicy Sally.
If that was not enough, public members will have the chance to score an excellent merchant (including game tickets and the Swag team!) With gifts that take place throughout the evening.
Come and connect and be part of the next chapter of the city sports.
Laura Geist, Oakland Ballers
Geist is the director general of the Oakland Ballers, a professional baseball team in competition in the independent Pioneer League. The team was founded and started playing in 2024 on its renovated field in Raimondi Park in West Oakland. In its role, Laura is responsible for the supervision of operations and community development of the organization.
Before joining the balls, Laura held key positions in technological companies, including Google, Meta and Microsoft, where she acquired expertise in the management of large -scale programs and product optimization. She is a third -generation Oakland resident with a deep love for the city. She lives in Oakland with her husband and two daughters and is looking forward to the opening day of the Ballers on May 20.
Amanda Wentworth, Oakland Girls Softball League
Amanda Wentworth, from Oakland, grew up playing softball with the Oakland Girls Softball League (OGSL) and the Oakland Athletic League (Oal) and is now president of OGSL. She also has 10 years of experience leading softball for girls, especially in the past two years as an assistant coach of Fremont high school.
Passionate about sports for young people, Amanda believes that the creation of opportunities for Oakland children to play, compete and grow requires a community effort. As president of OGSL, Amanda sought to extend access to softball and increase the registrations of the league in sub-represented communities. It also focuses on strengthening the OAL high school program, ensuring that athlete students have trails to continue their softball careers, regardless of the school they attend.
Tommy Hodul, Oakland Roots & Soul
Tommy Hodul is co-founder of the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul sports clubs. With almost a decade of experience in sports communications, he oversees all public relations and media efforts for the two football teams in his current role as vice-president of communications.
Born and raised in Oakland, Tommy graduated from Skyline High School and holds a Jazz Performance Diploma by Cal State Northridge and Musical Pedagogy at the University of Miami. Now back home with the roots and soul of Oakland, he combines his deep love for the city and his passion for music and sports to create stories that help elevate Oakland. You can find it most weekends hiking with its dogs in the Sibley and Redwood regional parks.
Spicy Sally
Directed by the former Oakland School for the Student Arts Naima And MK Martinez-Griffith, Spicy Sally is a new branch of the Bluegrass group up Salty Sally. MK is a cellist and violinist who played with the Oakland Symphony Orchestra, Mariachi Juveníl de Hayward and the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra. Naima, 15, is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who played Bottleock, supported Valerie June and occurred at Bluegrass barely strictly as part of the emerging artists Supergroup Oakland Rising. The duo appears at Culture Makers through their partnership with Follow the musicAn emerging artist and a musical education program.