About Us

The 3 Up 3 Down Organization is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), designed to promote, foster and support the game of baseball to youth and others within our community.  The organization through its members and supporters shall support the promotion, facilitation and education of the games of baseball and softball (and other sports on a case by case basis). The Organization is also determined to help support individuals with developmental disabilities, individuals that may not have the ability to participate or enjoy baseball (and other sports) quite as readily or as easily as their typical peers.

It is our hope and desire to give back to the baseball and youth sports community and help towns, leagues, and other organizations continue spreading the game.  As adults that have enjoyed this great game for so many years, we believe it’s a privilege to play this game.  In doing so, we believe it’s even more important to also give back to the surrounding community where we play.

The 3 Up 3 Down Organization was incorporated in 2017 as a non-profitable charitable organization.  The core value of the Organization is giving back to the community through both youth sports and to children with developmental disabilities that may not always have access to youth sports.  We have initiated a cumulative area approach to supporting both baseball and other youth sports in our community making them accessible for all.

Good For You Productions Video about 3 Up 3 Down
2023 Annual Fundraising Event Recap

For details on our 2025 Fundraiser, click here

3 Up 3 Down Community Impact

Supporting
Local Community Baseball & Softball Related Endeavors

Supporting recreation departments, towns, community organizations, parent and volunteer groups and leagues with field improvements to ensure they are safe and in good shape so players may enjoy where they play, clinics to help teach the game and expose more children to the game, while also celebrating advanced levels of youth baseball by holding exhibitions for those that have excelled in the game. This has included special investments in individual fields, facilities and parks; holding home-run derbies and bringing back an Exceptional Seniors and Futures Game for Scholar-Athletes.

SUPPORTING
LOCAL YOUTH SPORTS LEAGUES

Supporting local youth leagues with grants to establish, build and foster organizations that introduce the game, teach fundamentals and good sportsmanship to players of all ages as they develop through the different ranks and levels of the games. We are here to help leagues that have struggled with registrations, maintaining participation or that have stagnated growth. Our grants are designed to help introduce and keep children playing sports. To date, 3 Up 3 Down has issued grants to more than 30 local leagues.

Supporting The Community

(outside of the game)

Raising awareness and supporting our general community by donating to local organizations that may support non-baseball related causes but are still important for the community. Giving back to the local community teaches all players so many lessons that it should be inherent in any league’s endeavors. This endeavor includes our grants to organizations that support those with developmental disabilities such as Anderson Center for Autism, Green Chimneys, The Fragile X Research Foundation and Blue Path Service Dogs.

A Message from our Founder

This Organization is everything that epitomizes my personal belief system. The 3 Up 3 Down Organization was created to fill a void in the community and to give back. Youth baseball numbers have decreased significantly over the last tfew decades and there isn’t any one organization in this area dedicated to growing the sport. Providing children of all abilities the opportunity to not only play alongside typical peers but to also be able to learn about and enjoy this sport has become one of the main goals for our Organization. In addition to learning fundamental skills of the game, baseball has the ability to teach kids of all ages many life lessons, lessons that children will either need to learn from other avenues or not at all if not through sports. In this game, nobody helps you when you’re up to bat; no one helps you when you’re on the mound; you’re all alone. The game is very individualized, a component that every ballplayer has to deal with. But you have to put that individual component together within your team. And that’s one of the great things about not just baseball but all sports; how you work together as a unit and that’s a skill and value children and adults may carry with them the rest of their lives. I hope you will join 3 Up 3 Down in our journey to create something meaningful, important and long-lasting that will impact our community and touch the lives of countless kids throughout the greater Hudson Valley area.
Rick Stockfield, Founder & President

Our All-Star Board of Directors

Board President

Rick Stockfield
Board Member

Lauren Naru
Board Member

Michael Petrone
Board Member

Rick Zolzer
Board Member

Matt Veronesi
Board Member

Carl Sturino
Board Member

Zack Graczyk
Board Member

John Paul Cunningham
Board Member

David Prince
Board Member

Darryl Dreyer
Board Member

John O’Sullivan
Board Member

Mike Strutt
Janet McHugh
Board Member

Janet McHugh
Board President

Rick Stockfield

Rick founded 3 Up 3 Down in February 2017 to fill a significant void in the area, that of diminishing participation in youth baseball, lack of an altruistic organization to promote such, and as an intermediary between youth sports and the connection to those with developmental disabilities.  A Hudson Valley native, Rick grew up in Westchester County’s Yorktown Heights and eventually moved to Dutchess County and graduated from Arlington High School lettering in baseball.  He attended and played club ball at Syracuse University earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse’ Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

His professional experience includes time spent with the New York State Legislature, KPMG Peat Marwick, JeffersonWells, and later career accomplishments include a partnership at a regional search firm, and successfully starting and running two separate companies.  Before starting 3 Up 3 Down, he was on the board of another local non-profit that supported those with developmental disabilities for more than 5 years.  He is dedicated to giving back to the local community in both youth sports as well as to this and other organizations that support those with developmental disabilities.

He’s played ball since an early age (S.O.A.C.), through high school, the Hudson Valley Rookie and Twilight Leagues, MSBL (Men’s Senior Baseball League) since 2006 in Atlanta, Los Angeles and in New York.  He enters his 5th year as President of the Hudson Valley & Westchester MSBL growing the league and baseball in the area year over year which adding to the quality of baseball in the area as well.  He was inducted into the Dutchess County Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.  He resides in Patterson, NY with his wife Mindy and three growing and energetic boys, Shane, Evan and Calvin.

Board Member

Lauren Naru

Lauren Naru is an expert in public relations and marketing. A graduate of Fordham University, Lauren earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media Studies.

Following a successful career in New York City where she worked with global consumer brands, she founded Lauren Naru Communications to serve Hudson Valley-based businesses. Lauren is also a contributing writer for Hudson Valley Magazine and Taste of Home.

Lauren volunteers with several Hudson Valley-based organizations and has been supporting the mission of the 3 Up 3 Down organization since it was founded in 2017. An athlete herself, Lauren believes all children should have access to the many benefits of playing sports.

Board Member

Michael Petrone

Michael has more than 25 years of experience in construction management as a Director of Construction Management, Project Executive, Safety Managers, Estimator and Superintendent. He is currently in Zurich’s Construction Division responsible for providing risk engineering services. He currently plays and manages in the Hudson Valley-Westchester MSBL and held the role as Treasurer with the league for two years and is currently VP for the HVMSBL.

Mike holds his Associates Degree in Civil Technology from Westchester Community College.

Board Member

Rick Zolzer

Rick has been playing organized ball for the last 50 years having played both high school and college ball, playing 25 years in the Hudson Valley Rookie League (10 All-Star appearances, 15 years as a player-manager) and amassed four league championships. He played 30 years in the Poughkeepsie Twilight League winning three championships. He’s coached Lourdes High School (Poughkeepsie) for eight years accumulating 143 wins over that span. He started working for the Hudson Valley Renegades in 1994 as a PA announcer and has remained with the ‘Gades ever since, currently as a Vice President. He’s raised more than $2,000,000 for local family and children’s initiatives as well as M.D.A.  He’s an inductee in the Dutchess County Baseball Hall of Fame. He resides in the Hudson Valley with his wife Mary and two daughters Taylor and Jordan.

Board Member

Matt Veronesi

Matt played high school baseball for Arlington, and college baseball for Dutchess Community College and Nova Southeastern University where he majored in Sports Management. While at Nova Matt Interned with the 1997 World Champion Florida Marlins.  After college he worked at Dutchess Community College in the Athletic Department and as an Assistant Basketball and Baseball Coach, for the Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa Bay Devil Rays affiliate), Planet Studio as Executive Producer, as the General Manager and Director of Instruction of a Frozen Ropes Baseball and Softball Training Center, and is currently the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of New Windsor.

He has played and coached in the Hudson Valley Rookie League, the Twilight League, the Hudson Valley CBL, and the Hudson Valley & Westchester MSBL. He coached baseball for three seasons at Dutchess Community College making it to the Junior College World Series twice, and currently is one of the baseball coaches at Arlington High School. 

A member of the Dutchess County Baseball Hall of Fame, the Hudson Valley-Westchester MSBL Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Arlington High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Matt is married to wife Jenn and has four children Brendan, Mattingly, Gabriella, and Anthony.  

Board Member

Carl Sturino

Carl Sturino has spent the last 19+ years as a medical sales rep in the field of orthopedics. Outside of the operating room, Carl is a graduate of Sacred Heart University where he met his wife, Kim of 20 years. Carl and Kim are parents to three young men, Nick (20) Fairfield University, Joey (18) Marist University and Braydon (16) New Milford High School.

Carl has been extremely involved in the baseball world through 12+ years of coaching at the youth level, as well as several years as the youth league VP, and most recently the High School baseball booster club VP. He’s also on the board for Camella’s Cupboard which helps feed the needy families in the town of New Milford, CT. His personal hobbies include running a Peloton group, a Bourbon Enthusiast group, and he’s an avid bowling and poker player.

Carl is excited to begin his journey with 3 Up 3 Down as a Board Member, helping to raise money for an amazing cause and an outstanding organization!

Board Member

Zack Graczyk

Zack Graczyk is a lifelong member of the Hudson Valley with a passion for baseball that is second to none. Having played in high school and earning All-State Honors at Carmel High School, he continued to play collegiately at C.W. Post and SUNY Cortland where he was Conference Player of the Year 2x, and was a First Team All American in his Senior Season. As a Freshman at C.W. Post, he was nominated for the Tino Martinez award; an award given to the best Division II player in the country. A 2x Captain in high school and 3x Captain in college, he has always taken great pride in being a leader on the diamond and in the community.

Professionally, Zack is a Science Teacher in the Wappingers Central School District where he has spent the last 10 years teaching 8th grade and coaching Junior High and High School baseball at the Modified, Junior Varsity, and Varsity levels. In the Spring of 2022, he was elected to a three-year term on the Pawling Board of Education and he is an active volunteer in the Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association where his young children attend school.

“I am incredibly honored to help contribute to the amazing work that the 3Up3Down Organization does for the game of baseball and our children here in the Hudson Valley. Baseball is a game that can and should be enjoyed by everyone. The 3Up3Down Organization, thanks to its great leadership, works tirelessly to ensure this is a reality for all of our communities and our children that reside here.”

Zack currently lives in Pawling, NY with his wife Ashley and three kids (Brinley, Timothy, and Miles).

Board Member

John Paul Cunningham

JP is lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley and has been involved in local baseball since commencing playing Little League over 40 years ago. He has played on various local adult leagues over the years and currently plays in the over 35 and over 45 divisions of the Hudson Valley-Westechester MSBL.  He won a Class AA Baseball State Championship at Arlington High School and played collegiately at Villanova University.  He has coached countless youth teams in baseball, basketball and soccer over the years, is currently on the Beekman Athletic Club’s Basketball Board of Directors and also spend a few years umpiring as a member of Hudson Valley Umpires Association (HVUA). 

He is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York State and is active in many professional organizations including ACEC, ASCE, ASHE, CMAA, NYSSPE, and NYSATE.   He currently chairs the Hudson Valley Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies and is on the State Board for this important Engineering organization.   John Paul was awarded the NYS Society of Professional Engineers Rockland County Engineer of the Year in 2004 and was recently recognized by the NYS Association of Transportation Engineers as the Hudson Valley’s Transportation Professional of the Year in 2018.   John Paul currently lives in Poughquag, NY with his wife Amy and two of his three sons (Ryan, Jack and Brian).

Board Member

David Prince

David Prince is a passionate member of the community who works tirelessly to provide access to youth baseball to children of the Hudson Valley. A devoted dad to two young baseball players, Dave recognizes the need to expand the availability of sports to children who may not otherwise have the means or ability to play. As a board member of the 3 up 3 down foundation, Dave volunteers his time to provide access to America’s favorite sport to all children.

When Dave is not coaching one of his baseball teams; youth town all-star travel team (East Fishkill Patriots), youth elite travel team (Hudson Valley Elite), as well as semi-professional and men’s leagues teams (New York Mariners), he is advocating for field improvements and the allocation of resources to promote youth baseball in the Hudson Valley. 

“It is important that I teach my children the importance of paying it forward,” says Prince. Prince explains that while anyone can play baseball, it is with great passion and perseverance that true stars are made. His focus on giving back, as well as respect for coaches, hustle, and love for the game of baseball, is something that he hopes to continue to share with youth in years to come. 

Dave has recently turned his passion for the sport of baseball into a business endeavor with his unique and groundbreaking addition to the sports collectibles market, with the creation of Piece of the Game and the Baseball Authenticated Masterpieces Collection. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of his sports memorabilia collection is donated to youth baseball organizations, including 3 up 3 down. Visit  http://pieceofthegame.net/ for more information, and to view one of a kind collectibles. 

Board Member

Darryl Dreyer

Darryl Dreyer is one of our newest Board Members, but has a long background with the game of baseball as well as in youth sports having four children that have all excelled in varied sports.  Professionally, Darryl has a thriving law practice with his wife Sarah headquartered in Newburgh. He is a native of Newburgh having graduated in 1986 from Newburgh Free Academy and is a 1990 graduate of SUNY Binghamton where he received his Bachelors of Science in Economics, achieving high honors, and his JD from Boston University School of Law

Darryl began his career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, worked at a large mid-town Manhattan firm where he represented hospitals and doctors on medical malpractice claims, and then joined the trial unit of one of the largest personal injury firms in New York State. He joined his wife Sarah, at the New Windsor firm of Silver, Forrester, Schisano & Lesser, and shortly thereafter the firm added Sarah and Darryl as partners. After almost 10 years handling personal injury cases together, Darryl left on his own to start Dreyer Law Offices and six months later, Darryl was successful in convincing Sarah to join him. Together they have built Dreyer Law Offices, based in Newburgh, into the premier boutique personal injury firm in the Hudson Valley.

Board Member

John O’Sullivan

John O’Sullivan joins us as a recent retiree from the New York City Police Department, where he served for over twenty-five years. He spent ten years as the Integrity Control Sergeant for the Bronx and five years as a key member of the Community Policing Unit in East Harlem. He brings us experience in crisis management and coordination between law enforcement and legal departments. John holds a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice from John Jay College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the State University of New York at Binghamton. Before becoming a police officer, John worked for three years with the developmentally disabled adult community. John played Little League baseball in his hometown of College Point in Queens for four years,and coached his daughter’s softball team in Phillipstown for 2 years. John looks forward to contributing his experience and energy to the 3 Up 3 Down Organization.

Board Member

Mike Strutt

Baseball has been a lifelong passion of mine—both as a player and a coach. I’ve been playing at a high level for over 40 years, from youth baseball to high school and continuing through competitive men’s leagues. I’ve had the privilege of both playing and coaching on championship teams in the Hudson Valley Baseball Association, Westchester Wood Bat League, and Hudson Valley Men’s Senior Baseball League. Additionally, I have coached many youth teams to great success, helping young players develop their skills, grow their love for the game, and compete at a high level. Seeing players progress and succeed, both on and off the field, has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my baseball journey.

Off the field, I’ve built a career in sports programming, business development, and real estate. Whether developing successful sports programs, scaling businesses, or helping clients navigate the real estate market, my focus has always been on creating impactful experiences and meaningful connections. As a board member of 3 Up 3 Down, I’m excited to contribute my expertise in program development, outreach, and partnerships to help grow the game and expand opportunities for the next generation of ball-players.

Board Member

Janet McHugh

Janet is recently retired as Parks & Recreation Director in the Towns of Poughkeepsie and East Fishkill, NY. Janet is a specialist in designing and building accessible spaces and developing inclusive programming. Having spent decades exploring ideas and seeking new opportunities to enhance municipal programming in recreation. Her work extends beyond municipal recreation and into a broader commitment to making communities more welcoming and supportive for all residents of all abilities. She continues to foster collaboration, share knowledge, and work towards building stronger, more inclusive communities. Janet serves as a volunteer member on several local charitable boards, is a Dutchess County Certified Tourism Ambassador, and continues to share her insights through regional speaking engagements.