We Could Not Have Done it Without You

In the world of Rancho Cordova youth sports, Dennis Lamantia stands as a superhero among superheroes.

Dennis is the president of Rancho Cordova Little League where each year more than 500 local kids learn life skills which can only be taught on the baseball diamond. 

It takes more than a bat and a glove to run a Little League. There are fields to prepare, parents to navigate, sponsors to please and so much more.

Dennis’ leadership at Rancho Cordova Little League would be enough to fill a book, but his story doesn’t stop here.

When it became obvious that Rancho Cordova youth football was on the ropes, it was Dennis who last summer came to the rescue with a top to bottom re-boot to reconstitute the league. To do this he had to win over the confidence of elected officials, school officials, youth football league organizations, people who owed money, people who were owed money and so many more.  

He had to win over parents who had lost faith in the league, recruit coaches to take a chance and convince an army of doubters it could be done. He did that and more, resurrecting and evolving youth football in the City of Rancho Cordova.

Running two youth sports leagues in the city would be too much for most people, but the story was not over.  

When it appeared that a fledgling youth basketball program might not make it, Dennis again jumped in to provide the administrative and organizational know-how needed to get yet another youth sports league off the ground. The Rancho Cordova Youth Basketball League is just getting started, but without Dennis Lamantia it may not have happened at all.

Dennis is also the secretary of the Rancho Cordova Athletic Association where he is a true leader. Through his excellent example, he is helping Positive Coaching Alliance principles come off the page and into action. Sports fields are being renovated. And sports leagues are learning the power of social media.

The Rancho Cordova Athletic Association is a convening of giants in our community. These selfless leaders devote thousands of hours to provide great experiences for boys and girls in our city, and they do it as volunteers. In every case, they have stayed on to lead leagues long after their own children have aged out.

Because, as Dennis said, “There is always another field to mow.”

As the leader of THREE leagues, Dennis is a respected giant among giants. He brings skills sharpened during a successful career in finance to the topsy-turvy world of youth sports. A superhero, indeed.

Dennis’ forthright style will never win him a popularity contest. He likely does not care. He’s in it for the kids – and never lets anybody forget that they should be too.

William Shakespeare put it this way: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Thank you Dennis Lamantia. We Could Not Have Done it Without You.