Lifelong friends Joe Aiello and Francis Buonaiuto had a dream of using sports to create an organized, competitive and welcoming place for their fellow community members to learn, grow and have fun.
Three years later, their Laurel-based venture has grown into something bigger.
The Aldrich Sports League, launched in 2023, is expanding its reach across the North Fork — adding new sports, new events and even a new identity as it evolves from a league into a community sports hub.
“We’re just trying to hit every sport and help out all the kids. We can help them get into whatever sport they want to do,” said Mr. Aiello, who grew up in Mattituck with Mr. Buonaiuto. “The main idea is to do every sport we want to do, and inspire and unite the community.”
The group has already hosted tournaments, clinics and fundraisers across basketball, soccer, pickleball and more. This year, that lineup is growing even further.
They’ve even dropped the “league” from their name — a reflection of how the organization has expanded beyond a single competition format.
Aldrich Sports’ flagship 5-on-5 soccer league is also evolving.
Previously capped at nine or 10 teams in a single conference, the league often had to turn away late entries. This year, organizers are introducing two conferences to accommodate more teams while maintaining competitive balance.
“It’s hard to get teams into the league late; that’s a huge disadvantage to them,” said Mr. Buonaiuto. “So we decided just to have them hold off, but now we have the model to scale it. It’ll be neat that everyone has a fair chance to compete and still be together on that same Sunday.”
The season runs from May 31 through Aug. 2, with top teams from each conference competing for a championship. Lower-seeded teams will also face off for prizes and trophies.
Source: The Suffolk Times
