Sayulita Life’s Monthly $5,000 Donation Goes to Los Jaibitos de Sayulita!

Help the Jaibitos Get to Their Games!

Baseball has always been more than just a game—it’s about teamwork, discipline, and opportunity. But for Sayulita’s Little League team, Los Jaibitos, one of the biggest obstacles isn’t on the field—it’s getting to the game. With no team bus and limited transportation options, many kids are unable to travel to compete.

That’s why a group of dedicated supporters has stepped up to make a difference. I had the chance to speak with Peter and Hilary Bates, who are leading the 1st Annual Jaibitos Open Golf Tournament, to help raise funds to purchase a bus for the team.
A special shout-out goes to Dianne Manning for all her help in making this a success and to Coach Pedro Navarro for his unwavering love, dedication, and hard work in shaping these young athletes.

Here’s what they had to say about their mission and how we can all help.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourselves and what inspired you to organize this fundraiser for the Jaibitos?
We are a group of expats, Canadians and Americans, who are friends with the coach Pedro Navarro of the Jaibitos Little League Sayulita. Pedro‘s enthusiasm and care for these kids inspired us to do all we could to help him. He works tirelessly to help these kids. The team is always looking for help in the form of equipment, coaching, and transportation to and from out of town games.  

2. How did you first get involved with the team and why is this cause important to you?
The children are the future of Sayulita and although many of the expat community only call Sayulita home 6 months out of the year, we still considered it home. As such, helping to give the children of Sayulita the opportunity to be part of a team that will help shape them into stronger, more disciplined adults is of the utmost importance to us. 

3. What made you decide that a bus was the most important need for the team right now?
After discussing the teams with Pedro, he indicated that one of the biggest hurdles for them was getting these kids to and from their away games safely, and reliably. Many of the parents of these children are not in a position to provide transportation for them.

4. Have you hosted fundraisers like this before, or is this your first one?
This is the first fundraiser that we’ve done at this level. We hosted a small golf tournament for 13 years, raising money for an animal charity back in Canada.

5. Can you describe the Jaibitos team and what makes them special?
Founded in 2016, Jaibitos of Sayulita is a community baseball team that has thrived thanks to the dedication of the coaches and the support of the community. The primary focus is on the development of children aged 5 to 14 and promoting youth baseball in Sayulita. The mission is to encourage physical activity and help shape better citizens through sports.

See our Jaibitos in action:

6. How do the players and their families currently get to games and team events?
The parents split the cost of all round trip taxi vans for away games.

7. How far does the team typically have to travel for games and tournaments?
The team is part of the Liga Tepic Nayarit and they travel all over Northern Nayarit. Many away games take over 3 hours one way, such as Santa Maria del Oro, Amatlán de cañas, Tepic and Tuxpan.

8. Beyond transportation, what are some other challenges the team faces?
This year the expat community of Canadians generously contributed an abundance of new and used gear from Canada, so baseball equipment is currently in very good shape. Team uniforms on the other hand, have not been purchased for the 2024-2025 season due to lack of funds. And because children grow rapidly, baseball shoes are always in need. Also, the team raised enough money to build a metal structure for a batting cage, however it was disassembled for Sayulita Days and the netting was destroyed. So a solid batting cage with netting and an electronic pitching machine is very much needed. 

9. What can people expect at the fundraiser? Are there any special activities, auctions, or performances?
The participants will be playing 18 holes of golf. Numerous holes will have activities at the Tee-off areas. There will be prizes for long drive, closest to the pin and for the lowest scoring. There will also be a prize for the most honest team! During the tournament there will be an opportunity to purchase drinks, Mulligans and numerous other fun activities. In addition, there will be a silent auction, we have already collected some amazing prizes from local businesses, and individuals in the Expat community. 

10. How has the Sayulita community responded to the fundraiser so far?
The expat community so far has been great. Numerous businesses and individuals have been donating time, prizes and money.  We have been selling tee sponsorships and they are almost sold out. Many local businesses have not only donated, but have been eager to put our posters up on display. And some are putting together their teams for the tournament.  We are encouraging other businesses and individuals to get behind this worthy cause. 

11. For those who can’t attend, what’s the best way for them to donate or support the cause?
We are encouraging those who cannot attend to donate through the event GoFundMe page here. All donations small and large are greatly appreciated. 

12. How will having a bus change things for the team?
This will make playing baseball available to more children in Sayulita. Right now, many families cannot afford the costs associated with away games. 

13. Do you have a specific bus in mind, or are you still searching for the right one?
We do not have a specific vehicle in mind, we are not that far along In the process yet. We anticipate this taking a few years to raise enough money for the purchase. So this is where we are starting and moving ahead from here. We are hoping that this tournament will be successful and we can continue to make it an annual event. 

14. What does this support from the community mean for the team and its future?
Firstly, we hope that this will make the team sustainable over the long-term, and give the kids a sense of community pride, and the realization that they are supported by everyone in Sayulita, including expats. 
We hope that the Jaibos men’s team will provide mentorship, by volunteering some time towards these young athletes. These kids admire and look up to the Jaibos. 

15. What would you say to encourage more people to get involved?
Very little time and effort has been given to the children of Sayulita by the expat community. We can’t imagine a better use of people’s time and funds than to help shape the future of our children and the future of Sayulita. 

16. Where can people follow updates about the team and the fundraiser?
Follow the Jaibitos here and visit our GoFundMe page here.

With your help, the Jaibitos will never miss a game!