San Dieguito Youth Softball welcomes new season with Opening Day event

San Dieguito Youth Softball kicked off the new season at its Opening Day ceremony Feb. 24 at Cardiff Sports Park. The event included a spirited Opening Day Parade with the SDYS recreation league teams, and they honored their 12U Mambas 2023 All-Star Team, who were District Champions last summer.

Accomplished former softball player Tiana Hedjuk threw out the first pitch at the event. Hedjuk is a Cardiff resident who attended Cardiff Elementary, Ada Harris and San Dieguito High School. She started her softball career playing with SDYS, and SDYS All-Stars, and won many team championships and individual honors in her career locally and at university. She is now a Doctor of Chiropractic at her practice Cardiff Chiropractic Clinic and continues to serve the softball community on the SDYS board.

SDYS is a nonprofit organization, and Opening Day helps the league fundraise to cover operating costs and provide scholarships so that any girls who want to play can, regardless of means.

This story originally appeared in Encinitas Advocate .