OUR STORY

Carmel Dads' Club has been an instrumental part of the Carmel community for more than 60 years. In 1958, a small handful of dads gathered a group of young boys to play sports against another group of kids from neighboring Westfield. First up was baseball, but the boys had so much fun that they stayed together to play football as well. That's when the first Pups team was born.

The kids had a blast, and eventually, other kids wanted to join in on the fun. As their numbers grew, the dads who had formed the group officially created the Carmel Dads' Club. They got permission from the local school system to use school property for their expanding programming. At the time, Wodock Fields was located behind Carmel Elementary School, and they used the space for baseball, football, softball, and powder puff football. A Board of Directors formed rules and regulations and worked to secure funding for the Carmel Dads' Club. 

By 1978, it was clear the group would need its own property to keep up with the growing number of kids who wanted to participate in the sports offered by Carmel Dads' Club. The 24-member Board of Directors elected to purchase the "Blue Farm" off of 131st Street. It consisted of 39 acres offarmland, which would take quite a bit of work to transform into the athletic fields you'll find there today. Working with a very limited budget, the community spent countless hours volunteering their time and labor to create a first-class sports facility. 

During this time, there was a young boy in the community who participated in Carmel Dads' Club sports named Mark Badger. At nine years old, Mark was diagnosed with an inoperable brain stem tumor. He spent 13 months courageously batting his illness, never losing his smile and incomparable sense of humor. Sadly, Mark passed away in 1979. The following year, in 1980, the Board of Directors and general membership voted unanimously to name the new sports complex Mark Badger Memorial Park. Carmel Dads' Club President Dick Klar said at the time, "Mark Badger exemplified all that the Dads' Club program aims for. He was active in all of the Dads' Club sports, was an example to his teammates by showing respect toward others and good sportsmanship. He strived to achieve perfection, but not at the cost of others. Most of all, Mark Badger showed tremendous courage and gave everyone who came in contact with him a true meaning and appreciation of life."

Work continued on Mark Badger Memorial Park for several years. Schneider Engineering donated the design work and surveying, and a group of engineers donated and moved approximately 200,000 cubic yards of dirt for the project. The first Carmel Dads' Club soccer field opened in 1983.

Soon after, members of the community, buoyed by donations from various businesses, assisted in the construction of the O'Malia Baseball Diamond, while the Paul Estridge Corporation aided in the construction of a fieldhouse. The first baseball game at O'Malia was played in the spring of 1987. 

As Carmel Dads' Club grew throughout the years, so did the need to increase funding and volunteerism. Parents and community members continued to pitch in through various volunteer roles within the organization. Volunteering remains the backbone of Carmel Dads' Club to this day. The athletes have also contributed to the Club's growth over the years - selling cards, candy and other items. In the past, the Dads' Club hosted a Sports Fair with lots of fun and games for everyone to enjoy. They also held an annual haunted house at Badger Park for several years. Today, the Dads' Club hosts an annual Golf Outing to raise funds. The money raised through all of these efforts goes back into Carmel Dads' Club for the improvement and longevity of its programs. 

In 2021, through a partnership with Clay Township, the Aletto Family Sports Center was constructed at the south end of the property. It officially opened its doors in February 2022. The Aletto Family Sports Center houses indoor volleyball and basketball courts, a synthetic turf field (used for soccer, football, and more), and batting cages. The name honors longtime Carmel Dads' Club supporter and volunteer Gary Aletto and his family, who have all been involved with the Club over the years.

As it always has, Carmel Dads' Club still works closely with Carmel Clay Schools to share facilities. With more than 13,000 annual participants, the organization remains focused on honoring the past contributions of Carmel families while looking to the next chapter with eagerness, innovation, and a desire to help all children experience the positive impact of youth sports. 

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