Andrea Knight Office Manager for the Sanford Mainers.
Photo: Kristi King
By Kristi King
The Sanford Mainers baseball team has announced its 2025 season and is looking forward to a successful showing following a near miss in the championship season last year. The home opener will be June 6 at Goodall Park.
The New England Collegiate Baseball League team’s season will feature several special events, according to Outreach Coordinator Andrea Knight. First off, four local schools will be involved in Boomer’s Bookworms, a K- 8 incentive reading program announced by the Sanford Mainers’ mascot, Boomer. The six-week program began after February vacation and gives participants a chance to earn two tickets to a Mainers game. “Supporting youth reading skills is vital to their future success,” noted Knight. On Boomer’s Bookworms Night July 26, successful readers will get their name called out as they run out onto the field through the human tunnel created by this year’s Sanford Mainers players.
On College Night, June 12, patrons can engage with colleges from New England and branches of the military. June 13 will be a Trunk or Trick Halloween followed by the School’s Out Celebration on June 16. First Responders Night on June 18 will let emergency service workers of all kinds reconnect, or connect for the first time, alongside recent graduates of the fire services program. For music lovers, Jimmy Buffet Night with musician Jeff Gilbert is June 19. Come celebrate Boomers Bookworms for Boomer’s older brother Broose’s Birthday June 23.
Military Night, July 1,is sponsored by the American Legion and aims to support our former and present military personnel and their families. The Mainers will act as a community partner with other southern Maine organizations on Inclusion Night July 8, featuring local sign-language interpreters and volunteers from the YMCA. This free event sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank gives organizations a chance to connect and further strengthen community support. Finally, on July 25 it’s Country Night with Musician Mike Forgette and National Night Out sponsored by the Sanford Police Department on July 28. “We’ve got a full and amazing season for our Sanford community this summer,” Knight said.
A successful season also depends on finding host families for the players, who come from all over the country to spend nine weeks playing 44 games and need a place to stay – “a home away from home getting important rest, meals and family connection,” said Josh Ouellette, the team’s host family coordinator.
The Mainers organization helps families who have room for players get set up. “Hosting a player is a meaningful experience and hosting families often say, ‘We’re so glad we did it!’ said Knight. Community members can also donate gift cards from grocery stores, restaurants and other retailers.
Sanford Mainers players have a history of staying with the sport, being drafted into the Major League, independent leagues or as free agents. “Sanford wins them over every time often hearing the phrase, ‘This place is amazing!’ wiping away any preconceived notions of spending a summer in Maine,” Ouellette said. In addition, “Players appreciate the small-town feel, the amazing support they get and the sense of family and community that is welcoming,” added Knight. “They especially love interacting with their youngest fans signing after the baseball games.”
The Sanford Mainers organization, a nonprofit founded in 2001, has a mission “to move the city forward and make it the special home that we all deserve and strives to be community building,” stated Ouellette. “This organization is filled with passionate people from staff to volunteers to coaches and players and especially the embracing Sanford community,” added Knight. Manager Nic Lops, leading the two-time league championship team, has been named manager of the year two out of the last four years. Games can be seen on NECBL, and away games are broadcast by Sanford’s Seacoast Oldies 104.3. “We’ve got a full and amazing season for our Sanford community this summer!” Knight said.
The team will continue with its mission of community-building with a new softball tournament that it expects to become an annual fundraising event for local organizations like their official charity, Grahamtastic Connection. “Sanford should be proud of their local baseball team, which has quite a fan base,” Knight said.
The post What’s on Deck for the Sanford Mainers Season appeared first on Sanford Springvale News.
