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 stewards shall support the promotion, facilitation and education of the game. The Organization is also determined to help support individuals with developmental disabilities, individuals that may not have the ability to participate or enjoy this game quite as readily or as easily as their typical peers.

It is our hope and desire to give back to the baseball 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.

In 2017, after years of giving back to the community, the Hudson Valley Westchester Men’s Senior Baseball League (HVMSBL) formerly decided to start the 3 Up 3 Down Organization and incorporated a non-profitable charitable organization.  The core value of the Organization is giving back to the community.  This has continued to resonate within both our Charitable Organization the League as well and has become a staple of who we are.  Initiating a cumulative area approach to supporting the game with community in mind makes sense.

3 Up 3 Down Community Impact

Supporting
Local Community Baseball 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 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 15 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 are shrinking and there isn’t any one organization in this area dedicated to supporting 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

Lauren Naru
Board Member

Lauren Naru

Board Member

Michael Petrone

Rick Zozler
Board Member

Rick Zolzer

Board Member

Matt Veronesi

Board Member

Carl Sturino

Board Member

Zack Graczyk

Dave Goddard
Board Member

David Goddard

John Paul Cunningham
Board Member

John Paul Cunningham

David Prince
Board Member

David Prince

Board Member

Darryl Dreyer

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.

Lauren Naru

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.

Rick Zozler

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).

Dave Goddard

Board Member

David Goddard

Dave is a graduate of Arlington High School, received his Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education from Cortland State University and his master’s degree in education from Western Connecticut State University, and his certification in Educational Administration from SUNY New Paltz.

He taught Health and Physical Education in the Arlington Central School District and coached JV and Varsity baseball for 17 years and 5 as assistant varsity football coach.  He was voted coach of the year in 1998 by the Dutchess County Baseball Coaches Association and served as President of the same association from 1996-1999.  He served as an instructor at the University of Notre Dame summer baseball camps from 1995-1998 under then coach Paul Maineri (currently the head coach at LSU). 

In 2000 and become the third Athletic Director in Arlington’s history. He served as Section One Sportsmanship Chairman from 2003-2011 and a member of the Section One Athletic Council from 2010-2016.  He was also a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Central Committee, the foremost governing body for athletics in NYS. He served on the Section One Baseball Committee from 2000-2016. 

With the support of the Dyson Foundation and the Arlington Community, he renovated the Arlington High School Baseball field with new turf in 2008 making it one of the premier facilities in Dutchess County.  He’s been selected and honored with the lighthouse school for Parent for Good Sports, the Sports Awards banner presented by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association; The Poughkeepsie Journal selected him as their sportsmanship recipient of the year in recognition of his dedication to civility in interscholastic athletics, the Community Service Award by NYS in recognition of the athletic program’s support of local charities, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics recognized he and the Admiral athletic program for their dedication to leadership and character development by presenting Arlington with the Five-Star Leadership School Award.

Additional honors include: Section One Athletic Director of the Year, the Apple Award by the New York State Athletic Administrators Association for his accomplishments as Athletic Director.  In 2016, the Outstanding Contributor Award by the Dutchess County Baseball Coaches Association (contribution to baseball while serving as Athletic Director).  In 2019, he was inducted in the Dutchess County Baseball Hall of Fame.

Dave retired from Arlington High School in August of 2016.  A lifelong resident of Pleasant Valley, he  currently resides with his wife Karla. 

John Paul Cunningham

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).

David Prince

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.