Williamsburg Youth Baseball League is proud to recognize the contributions of Dave Gosselin to the growth and success of the league. WYBL was established in 1952, offering youth baseball to area residents. In the mid-eighties, Dave moved to the area and began volunteering. With progressive involvement for the next 20 years, Dave helped shape the league as it operates today.

David had a lifelong love of baseball and his love of accounting likely originated by keeping stats of his favorite players. He began as a coach and field maintenance volunteer, moving to the board of directors and acting as the county liaison. He acted as league president for several years. Dave ushered the transition of WYBL from an independent league to an affiliation with Cal Ripken Baseball. He helped bring the Cal Ripken 10-Year Old World Series to the community in 2004. Outside of the league, Dave coached middle school baseball and was an active booster for high school teams.

During his time as a volunteer, the county developed the baseball complex at Warhill Sports Complex, moving games from the city’s Kiwanis park. He is described as “definitely a doer and not a talker”. Quoted in the Gazette, Ned Cheely, director of Recreation & Parks for James City County at the time said Dave “was so instrumental in so many ways.”

When he first arrived to the area, Dave professionally worked as an accounting professor at William & Mary. He continued his academic work at Christopher Newport University and then spent ten years as the Deputy CFO at NASA Langley Research Center. Dave has three children and was married to Joy Gosselin. His family members have continued to support the league since his passing, Nick as a player and singer on opening day, Joy as treasurer, and his son Dave as our umpire coordinator and board member.

Keith Cobb, a WYBL board member and active volunteer for over 25 years  said, "When I hear the phrase "a baseball guy", Dave was the definition. He loved the WYBL and would do anything to help improve it. He was the driving force behind the Complex being built at Warhill that we enjoy today. Once he set his mind to doing something, it would get done one way or the other. He is still very much missed to this day." 

Dave represents the scholar-athlete and civic-minded citizen we want to see our players become. Those values are what we strive to uphold in our players, coaches, and volunteers. The memorial scholarship is a way to further support those values in our players transitioning to their next step in life.

Sources:
Carter, Rusty. David Gosselin led Youth Baseball. Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg) 2007 Oct 17.
Nelsen. David Joseph Gosselin Obituary. Daily Press (Williamsburg) 2007 Oct 18.
Cobb, Keith. 
Gosselin, Joy.