Sponsorship Letter

Dear Community Member,  

Thank you for the opportunity to introduce you to Firecrackers Leles a California non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation (Federal Tax ID # 30-1245546). We are a premier fastpitch softball organization from Northern California directed by Jenae Leles, a 2-time NCAA Champion and member of Team USA. We are composed of elite student athletes committed to training and competing at the highest levels of our sport.

Even more importantly, Firecrackers Leles has had a positive impact on the lives of young girls in our area and their families. By committing to play competitive softball, our players develop critical life skills like discipline, time management, and prioritization. However, our philosophy goes beyond teaching for just this season. We prepare our student athletes for future success on and off the field. 

We place particular emphasis on supporting the mental health of our players, which sets us apart. This approach is based on research showing a strong positive correlation between girls’ participation in sport/play and mental health. The World Health Organization found that physical activity has “a positive effect upon girls’ psychological well-being; indeed, some studies indicate that girls may respond more strongly than boys in terms of short-term benefits.” In addition, participation in physical activity can “contribute to the reduction of problematic levels of anxiety and depression.” (WHO Report-Girls’ Participation in Physical Activities and Sports: Benefits, Patterns, Influences, and Ways Forward.)

In addition, Firecrackers Leles offers the following programs to enhance the well-being of its athletes:

• Encourage College Enrollment – We provide support to all athletes to help them achieve their educational goals, including maintaining a Recruiting Coordinator and a College Liaison. We hold our athletes to the highest academic standards.
• Sports Psychology – Each season, our athletes read and discuss a book aimed at developing the mental side of the game. They learn about attention focus, cohesion, confidence, intrinsic motivation, and the importance of a positive internal monologue. These skills obviously translate outside of the ballpark, as well.
• Fitness Training – with the goal of establishing a lifelong commitment to health and wellness, our organization trains with Self Trust Fitness based out of Rancho Cordova.

While our staff and volunteers put in a great deal of time and funds to provide these opportunities for our players, we cannot do it alone. The costs for equipment, uniforms, facility rentals, training, tournament fees/insurance, travel, and more, are significant. If you agree that we are providing these players with life skills that go beyond just a season, we would appreciate your tax-deductible financial support through a sponsorship or donation.