Chris Mercer
Board Secretary and CTO
Leadership
BOARD MEMBERS
As a new foundation, we're still putting the finishing touches on our website. Our board list below is still growing as members finish creating their public profiles!
Josh Ledee
CEO
WHO WE ARE
Texas Venom is a youth baseball organization rooted in the communities of North Texas, proudly operated by volunteer coaches who give their time, energy, and hearts — not for a paycheck, but for the kids. We run teams across all skill levels, from recreational and developmental squads to competitive and select programs, competing in leagues and tournaments throughout the region.
Participation and financial assistance are not limited to a fixed group of families. Team availability depends on player interest, age eligibility, roster capacity, safety, competitive placement, and the availability of qualified volunteer coaches.
Unlike most select or travel clubs, our coaches receive no compensation and we charge no seasonal dues or club fees. Every adult on that field is there because they believe in something bigger than baseball: teaching young players the game, yes, but more importantly teaching them sportsmanship, discipline, and teamwork — values that carry them far beyond the diamond, in school, in life, and in character.
We also pray after every game and practice, often inviting the opposing team to join us — a quiet tradition that reflects both our faith and our belief that every competitor deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. We accept players of all faiths and backgrounds... the prayers are short, simple, and optional for players.
We have been doing this for nearly 20 years as a volunteer-led baseball program. In 2026, we formalized our work by founding the North Texas Venom Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, ensuring the mission endures for generations of young players still to come.
OUR MISSION
The North Texas Venom Foundation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The primary purpose of the Foundation is to operate and support amateur youth baseball, instructing youth in the fundamentals of the sport to develop their physical and mental capabilities, and promoting community recreation, teamwork, and good sportsmanship.
Texas Venom began in 2006 with a simple, beautiful idea. Coach Glenn Goodrich's son Tristan was nine years old when he told his dad he didn't want to play baseball anymore — not if it couldn't be with his friends. "I don't care if we lose every game," Tristan said, "as long as it was with my friends."
Coach Glenn heard that and built something around it. The Venom team was created so a group of kids could enjoy playing together, giving it their best, regardless of the scoreboard. In a 2024 Facebook post marking Tristan's 27th birthday, Glenn wrote: "I am still trying to live by that very concept, and it's the hardest thing to do."
Glenn dedicated his life to the program — not only teaching the game but shaping young athletes into confident, resilient, hardworking individuals whose impact reached far beyond the diamond. He was present for every practice, every game, and every player who needed him. His legacy is measured not in wins and losses, but in the countless lives he touched along the way.
He coached until the very end. He led the 11U team in his final season and watched the 12U team play the day before he passed away on May 4, 2026.
In his honor, and because of his profound influence on everyone who wore the Venom uniform, our teams embed a "We Play for Coach Glenn" sticker on their helmets and in their video streams — a permanent reminder of why we play.
His son Tristan Goodrich is now a founding director of the North Texas Venom Foundation board and coaches a team himself — carrying on his father's mission and following in his footsteps when it comes to serving the youth baseball players of North Texas.
Once Venom, Always Venom. Rest easy, Coach.