Diamond Baseball and the Boulder Bison Baseball program were founded in 1993, a milestone year for baseball in Boulder. Two years prior (1991), Boulder High School won the Colorado State 6A High School Baseball Championship, and that Spring (1993) Fairview won the Colorado State 6A High School Baseball Championship, two major achievements that energized the local baseball community. In the wake of this victory, Boulder High’s coaches and boosters recognized a gap in the player development pipeline. While Little League provided foundational skills and high school offered competitive play, there was no structured bridge between the two. To remain competitive against powerhouse programs from larger metro areas like Denver and Colorado Springs, Boulder needed a team that could prepare middle school players for the next level.
Out of that vision, the nonprofit Diamond Baseball of Boulder (DBOB) was formed, and the Boulder Bison team was born. That same year, the City of Boulder entered into a 20-year agreement with the Diamond Baseball of Boulder to manage and maintain the baseball field at Scott Carpenter Park, which became the official home of the Boulder Bison. The team initially focused exclusively on the 13- and 14-year-old age group, with a clear mission to serve as a feeder program for Boulder High School. Diamond Baseball also helped run the summer American Legion program for Boulder High School players, supporting year-round development.
During those early years, the Bison program primarily drew players from North Boulder, and its operations remained small and focused. For the next 15 years, Boulder Bison functioned as a single-team program, playing an important but limited role in the local baseball ecosystem. That all changed in 2008, a pivotal moment in the program’s history. Chris Bukowski, a local parent whose sons had played in South Boulder Little League but chose to join the Bison and attend Boulder HS, joined the board of Diamond Baseball. Just in time for a surge in youth baseball interest, as both North and South Boulder Little Leagues exceeded 600 players, catalyzed by the Colorado Rockies reaching the World Series the previous Fall. Chris brought a transformative vision to the organization: expand the program beyond a single 14u team and create a full pipeline of development starting at the 9u level. His goal was to provide more opportunities for Boulder youth to play high-level baseball year-round, and to help raise the overall standard of baseball in the region.
Under Chris’s leadership, the Boulder Bison quickly expanded into a full-scale youth baseball program, with multiple teams at the 9u, 10u, 11u, 12u, 13u, and 14u levels. Initially, the program remained focused on North Boulder players, serving as a complement to North Boulder Little League, hedging against travel/tournament baseball recruiting, while always with an eye toward preparing players for Boulder High School.
In 2016, after DBOB had just completed two very successful summers as the host for the American Legion Western Regional Championship, a major shift occurred when the City of Boulder decided not to renew the lease for Scott Carpenter Park with Diamond Baseball of Boulder due to a lawsuit brought by an outside party regarding access to the baseball fields. Suddenly without a home field or formal affiliation with Boulder High School or the city of Boulder, the Bison program reached a crossroads. Chris saw the opportunity to broaden the team’s mission and community reach. He opened the program to players from both North and South Boulder and changed the team colors from purple and gold (Boulder High’s colors) to black and gold, matching the University of Colorado and better representing the city as a whole.
With deep ties to South Boulder Little League, Chris began meeting with families from both South Boulder Little League and North Boulder Little League to share his vision of a program that could enhance, rather than compete with, the Little League experience. While the initial transition was met with some resistance, particularly due to the long-standing friendly rivalry between North Boulder Little League and South Boulder Little League, Chris’s leadership and inclusive vision eventually won over both communities.
The results were undeniable. Over the next several years, players who participated in both Bison and their Little League teams helped elevate the quality of play across the city. Both North Boulder and South Boulder Little Leagues began winning state championships and advancing to the Little League Regional Championships, where their games were broadcast on ESPN. A standout example came in 2024, when North Boulder Little League won the state championship and advanced to regionals in California.
After more than a decade of guiding Bison Baseball through its most transformative era, Chris Bukowski stepped down in 2020. He passed leadership to Renae Foxhoven, who brought fresh energy and perspective to the organization. From 2020 to 2024, Renae led the Bison into a new chapter, recruiting a strong board of advisors, expanding community partnerships, and modernizing operations while staying true to the program’s values of development, teamwork, and character building. In 2025, Renae handed the reins to Allison Forrer, who now serves as the board president.
Under Allison’s leadership, Boulder Bison Baseball continues to thrive, offering high-quality coaching, competitive opportunities, and a strong sense of community for young athletes across Boulder. What began in 1991 as a single-team feeder program has evolved into a respected youth baseball organization, one that helps kids grow not only as athletes, but as individuals. Numerous former Bison players have gone on to compete at the collegiate level, representing programs in NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, and junior colleges across the country. Boulder Bison Baseball remains a proud part of Boulder’s sports legacy, rooted in tradition, driven by community, and committed to the future.