WooSox Foundation to Commemorate 4th Anniversary of "Tyler's Teammates" by Paying Registration Fees for Sturbridge Girls Softball League

WORCESTER, MA — The WooSox Foundation, the charitable arm of the Worcester Red Sox, will commemorate the fourth anniversary of the creation of the “Tyler’s Teammates” program at 4 p.m. tomorrow, February 13, at Burgess Elementary School in Sturbridge. Smiley Ball and WooSox staff members will present a check for $3,000 to Sturbridge Girls Softball to cover registration fees for more than 30 youngsters.

WooSox officials, who will arrive at the school in the WooSox Foundation Care-A-Van, will also raffle off a brand-new softball bat, glove, and pair of cleats.

Earlier in the day, WooSox Foundation Dreammakers will provide food for the hungry, and Clara the Heart of the Commonwealth will deliver roses at the Worcester Senior Center.

The Tyler’s Teammates program was founded by Steve and Lynn Trudell in 2022 to honor the memory of their 13-year-old son, Tyler, who peacefully passed away in his sleep on May 13, 2021. The Paxton Little Leaguer loved playing baseball and adored his teammates.

The initiative provides equipment and registration funds to organizations and individuals who may not otherwise have been able to partake in Diamond Sports. According to Little League Baseball and Softball, the world’s largest organized youth sports program, one in five children may not have the opportunity to play sports due to financial challenges.

Organizations and individuals looking to apply to join “Tyler’s Teammates” can visit woosoxfoundation.org/tylers-teammates or email [email protected].

“The Tyler’s Teammates program holds a special place in the hearts of everyone at the WooSox, and we all take pride in being a small part of Tyler’s legacy,” said the WooSox’ Manager of Community Relations & the WooSox Foundation Emerson White. “We’re grateful to Lynn and Steve for their continued partnership and the love they pour into giving local youth the opportunity to play baseball and softball.”

Lynn Trudell, Tyler’s mother, crafts and sells bracelets whose proceeds fund the program. In addition to being sold at exercisingwell.com/wellness-bracelets, the WooSox offer these bracelets for sale in the Team Store at Polar Park.

The WooSox Foundation announced its partnership with the Trudell family on Valentine’s Day in 2022, at Paxton Center School. Tyler’s eighth grade classmates and teammates––with whom he played for eight years––were commemorated as ambassadors of the program with custom T-shirts and certificates.