A New Chapter for Chandler National Little League 

Dear CNLL Families,

My name is Travis Vande Hey, and I'm honored to serve as the new President of Chandler National Little League.

This past week we wrapped up our Fall Championship games, and watching those kids compete reminded me exactly why I stepped into this role. The effort. The nerves. The way a team rallies around each other when it matters. This isn't just baseball — it's where our kids learn what it means to work hard, be part of something bigger than themselves, and get back up when things don't go their way. That matters. And it's worth protecting.

I want to tell you why I'm here.

My son Mason chose baseball. Now, I played golf in college — I love the game of golf and it gave me incredible opportunities growing up. But when your kid picks a sport, you don't argue. You show up. You coach. You go all in. That's what I did. And somewhere along the way, I realized that Chandler National — a program with decades of history and some truly great people running it — had started to drift. Enrollments have been down. Energy was down. And I couldn't just watch from the bleachers while a program my son loves struggled to find its footing.

I grew up playing Little League in Wisconsin. Some of my best childhood memories happened on those fields — the friendships, the competition, the pure joy of playing a game with your buddies on a summer night. That's what I want for your kids. That's what we're building here.

And I'm not building it alone. We've assembled a Board of dedicated volunteers — parents, coaches, and community members who love this game and believe in a new vision. Every improvement you see this season is the result of this team working together.

Our Philosophy: Fun, Fundamentals, & Safety

This is how I coach, and it's how we're going to run this league. Every decision we make comes back to these three things. Are our kids having fun? Are they learning the game the right way? Are they safe — physically and emotionally? If the answer to any of those is 'no,' we fix it.

During the regular season, our focus is development. We're here to grow these kids — to convince them this is an amazing game, teach them how to be great teammates, how to handle failure, how to compete with class. The baseball skills will take time to come, but the character we build here… that's what lasts.

When all-star season arrives, we compete. Our kids represent Chandler National on a stage that stretches all the way to the international level, and we intend to send teams that are prepared, confident, and ready to win. Development and excellence aren't opposites — one builds the other.

What's Changing for Spring 2026

We're raising the bar across the league — and we're investing in the resources to back it up.

• Professional umpires will be calling our games — consistent, quality officiating that lets kids focus on playing and coaches focus on coaching.

• Our fields will be prepped by professionals, so our volunteer coaches aren't spending their time putting chalk down instead of working with your kids.

• We're bringing food trucks to our events so families can actually share a meal together.

• And we're combining Chandler North and South into a united Chandler National Little League — one program, one standard of excellence, one community moving in the same direction.

• We're also building partnerships that put value back in your hands. Deals with SCHEELS, Dick's Sporting Goods, and other corporate partners will bring exclusive discounts to CNLL families throughout the season.

These improvements require investment, and so registration fees will be increasing this season, for the first time in a long time. Every dollar goes directly into your kids' experience — better fields, better officiating, better everything. That's the commitment we're making.

Registration opens today, December 1st.
https://www.chandlernational.com/registration/

Here's What We Need From You

If you're with us — and I hope you are — we need more than just registration. We need your voice. Fill out the Fall Survey. Give us feedback. Tell us what's working and what isn't.

https://www.chandlernational.com/fall-2025-survey/

Show up. Volunteer if you can. This isn't a spectator sport for the adults either.

And if you've stepped away from CNLL, or you're on the fence, I get it. Things haven't always been what they should be. But I'm asking you to give us another chance. Let us earn your trust. Come see what we're building.

This is a new chapter. We're not here to maintain — we're here to build something our kids, our families, and our community will be proud of. A program known for excellence, led by people invested in your kids' success, and rooted in the belief that every kid who puts on a CNLL jersey deserves our best effort.

I didn't take this job to coast. I took it because my son chose baseball, and I refuse to let his league be anything less than it should be.

See you on the diamond.

With gratitude,

Travis Vande Hey

President, Chandler National Little League