Sarasota Little League builds back from disaster

All sorts of people stepped forward to assist Sarasota Little League in its moment of need. Donations came in from local businesses, former players and worried parents, among others.

One in particular has stuck with Alexis Meininghaus, the league president since July 2025, and it didn’t come through the online fundraiser most donors used.

She received a physical check from a 97-year-old man, who also attached a handwritten letter describing his own experience playing baseball in Little League.

“He just wanted to support in any way that he could,” Meininghaus said. “It really just hit home that this is a much bigger deal. It means so much to the community.”

Image courtesy of Alexis Meininghaus

Sarasota Little League reported a disappearance of more than $200,000 from its treasury last October. It was left with around $950 in its checking account and, without outside financial assistance, would’ve been unable to hold the remainder of the fall 2025 season.

Ahnaysa Turner, who had served as the league’s treasurer since 2022, was arrested the following month on one count of grand larceny in excess of $100,000. She has since pleaded no contest and agreed to pay $176,000 in restitution, according to court documents. Her sentencing is set for Monday.

There were more than 160 offseason ATM withdrawals totaling more than $159,000 made from November 2022 to September 2025, according to the arrest affidavit. There was also $14,527.15 of unauthorized Amazon purchases on a league credit card and 120 in-season ATM cash transactions totaling $95,670, of which $63,780 was paid to umpires.

Mike D’Hondt, coach for the Sarasota Little League 12U American All-Stars, was the league’s vice president and on the phone with Meininghaus when the lost funds were discovered.

“There was a sense of helplessness,” D’Hondt said. “We (needed) support, and if we (didn’t) get it, then we might have (had) to shut the season down. But the community came through for us.”

Thanks to an emergency Zeffy online fundraiser and in-person fundraiser last November at Twin Lakes Park, the league collected enough donations to finish out that season. It was also able to run a normal spring season from February to June.

Now, with teams moving through district and sectional tournaments ahead of the Little League World Series, the league could be in a better spot financially, but is not in a bad spot, Meininghaus said. She also said the league has been conservative in its spending and has held off on capital improvements like the new dugouts and sunshades for spectators it hopes to add.

Sarasota Little League spent last fall and this spring trying to build back financially. Hand-in-hand with that process was building back any trust lost from its member families.

Image courtesy of Alexis Meininghaus

It received fewer registrations for the spring 2026 season than in spring 2025, but only by less than five, per Meininghaus. At first, she feared the dropoff would be more significant, so those numbers were welcomed.

“A lot of us on the board felt guilty, initially, because we didn’t know,” Meininghaus said. “We wanted to do everything we possibly could to get people in here and gain that trust back.”

Just seeking out donations was a tricky endeavor. Turner had not filed taxes for three years, so the league lost its status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

An accountant promptly stepped up to file them and the IRS accepted the league’s request to expedite the processing of those forms. By opening day Feb. 12, its status was reinstated.

“That was really nerve-wracking for me,” Meininghaus said. “We could take donations, but we had to do it a little differently and let everyone know our situation at the time. Some were fine with it, and some were more reserved about it.”

John Fetsick, general manager at University Park Country Club, volunteered to take over as interim treasurer. Sarasota Little League also brought in Michael Corley, a nonprofit consultant and founder of The Corley Company, to educate board members on board governance.

But above all else — to ensure security for the future — the league put an emphasis on reviewing and revising its financial safeguards.

Image courtesy of Alexis Meininghaus

It has stopped all cash handlings and gone fully electronic so complete records can be kept moving forward. There are also multiple people on their bank accounts so numbers can be double- or triple-checked at any time.

All board members and coaches are required to complete background checks on JDP, as dictated by Little League. Sarasota Little League has added a second mandatory, multi-state background check run by a private detective. 

And the safeguards don’t end there.

“At every board meeting, we bring out the bank account on the big screen so that everybody can see it,” D’Hondt said. “The finances are presented — budget, month spent to date, monthly reports and stuff like that are done. Those hadn’t been done for some time.”

Last month, the league held its annual elections and 35 people came out. It was the most Meininghaus has seen in her seven years and counting on the board.

There were 16 members of the board in 2025. Everyone who ran was voted on. This year, the board is 23 members deep and still, 12 people were turned away.

D’Hondt, who dubbed that turnout the “diamond in the rough” of their financial situation, also said more interest in the board should help keep families in Little League.

The league’s process of building back started with the community. It relied on the kindness of others to get back on its feet and return to normal operations.

These days — as it had well before 2025 — it hopes families can rely on Sarasota Little League to offer a youth sports experience which kids can’t get anywhere else.