Big League Dreams Manteca is losing one of its superstars.

Softball coordinator James Wright is transferring to the Cathedral City park to be closer to his family. His final day is Friday. 

The Inland Empire native has been a staple at Big League Dreams Manteca for more than seven years, helping orchestrate its softball and soccer competitions, as well as overseeing the launch of its ever-popular kick ball leagues. 

He joined the staff at the Manteca park as a part-time employee on Feb. 28, 2007. He was made full-time shortly thereafter, igniting a banner run for both park and employee.

“When I came here, I never thought this would be the No. 1 park in the company,” Wright said. “I knew we were going to be good and be up there with the other parks with larger populations around them, but I never thought the programs (Sports Director Tony Valtierra) has built would be …”

In a word, dynamic?

BLD Manteca ranks No. 1 in the park system in overall revenue, according to Wright, and its overall numbers in softball, soccer and kick ball are unmatched.

That’s Wright’s challenge in Cathedral City, an under-performing park with a competing park just 45 miles away in Parris. Wright begins in earnest, too, on Monday.

“That area isn’t supporting the park,” Wright said. “It’s about building that program back up. I’m going into a program that’s struggling. That will be my challenge – to get that back up, and hopefully that happens.”