Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
To parents of baseball kids under 12 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Charlie Steiner
- Start date
Al Czervik
Not wearing pants
I ended up getting my son a second pair of pants. And guess what? He only wore one pair all week. The laundry service was very efficient. Other pair still has tags on, so I can take them back.
Al Czervik
Not wearing pants
Greedy, bump this thread early 2015 and I'll hook you up with my notes and packing list.My son's team will be going next Summer, would love hear all about your trip.
Johnny Rock
Footballguy
Nice write up Al. Great to hear the cool stories. Good times.
greedygoat
Footballguy
I definitely will bump it and I appreciate your assistance.Greedy, bump this thread early 2015 and I'll hook you up with my notes and packing list.
Everyone I've ever talked to that has experienced this has nothing but great things to say. It doesn't matter if their kids have only played in their local Little League or if they are highly competitive travel players, it seems that this trip is the best experience for any level player by far, I can't wait.
Little bump on this thread -- My sons 12U team is considering going to Cooperstown next summer. Wanted to hear more about some experiences there. I have rad some mixed reviews on the web. A lot of statements about sewage backed up in the village and tough conditions. Just wondering. It is a lot of money to spend.
belljr
Footballguy
Not Cooperstown - just an update.
We won our Championship
Terrible format
http://www3.usssa.com/fastpitch/TournamentMain/#/?divisionID=1287814&gdSport=16&DivisionResults=1287814
EDIT : DOH!! Thought it was the travel thread. My apologies. Leaving it up
We won our Championship
Terrible formathttp://www3.usssa.com/fastpitch/TournamentMain/#/?divisionID=1287814&gdSport=16&DivisionResults=1287814
EDIT : DOH!! Thought it was the travel thread. My apologies. Leaving it up
Last edited by a moderator:
Charlie Steiner
Footballguy
It's a small sample of reviews here, but I don't think any of the FBGs who have gone over the years had anything bad to say about the experience. Can't speak to the sewage issue, but I will say that the staff there work very hard to make the experience as positive as possible. The only issue my son had when he was there was that he didn't secure the pins he had been trading and someone came through their barracks and took a bunch of the ones he had collected, but I put that on him as everyone is warned to lock up their valuables when they're not in the barracks.
As for going next year, it may be too late, as every team that goes to the Dreams Park needs a certificate, and those are hard to come by. I know there's another, smaller tournament up there as well but I know nothing about it, so it may be a little easier to get into. If your team is in an organization that has gone in the past, or if you know of another team/organization close by that isn't using theirs, that may be your only hope. The coach of the team my son was on at the time had been planning this from the time he starting coaching that team when they were 8, and the organization the team was in had a certificate that was passed down from age group to age group. We started the ramp-up for it at the beginning of the 11U season, so that we could fundraise and lock in commitments from every family that was going.
As this thread shows, I think, and I believe ALL the FBGs who have been will agree, it's set up to be a great experience and it's well worth the time and cost to go. Good luck, and if you go, please post something about here. TIA.
Charlie Steiner
Footballguy
Did you get to watch that Lake Shore team? Can't speak for their softball program, but baseball-wise they always field strong baseball teams from a young age.Not Cooperstown - just an update.
We won our Championship
http://www3.usssa.com/fastpitch/TournamentMain/#/?divisionID=1287814&gdSport=16&DivisionResults=1287814
=Smackdown=
Footballguy
Currently at The Ripken Experience in Aberdeen MD for a U12 tourney. Great facilities and a wonderful experience for the kids.
The Babe Ruth world tourney also going on at same time - just watched Australia play New Zealand.
The Babe Ruth world tourney also going on at same time - just watched Australia play New Zealand.
belljr
Footballguy
We beat them twiceCharlie Steiner said:
http://www3.usssa.com/fastpitch/TournamentMain/#/?divisionID=1287814&gdSport=16&Bracket=1287814
We are C level team bordering on B. They had one pitcher and some decent hitters. Overall the play was pretty solid for 9 and 10 year olds. But they were out of gas the last day. We played 1 game, they played 3 up until the finals
Last edited by a moderator:
Charlie Steiner
Footballguy
We got to go there when my son was 9. First look at some of the higher levels of ball being played even at that age. Only regret was not getting a game in Cal Sr's yard.
belljr
Footballguy
=Smackdown=
Footballguy
Sr yard reserved for the World tourney where Australia played New Zealand - what a great looking field.
We had games on Wriglet & Fenway,
Todem
Footballguy
We sent in our deposit 3 weeks ago for Dreams Park Summer of 2017!!!
My son is really excited for upcoming year. Fall season starts September 1st and we have penciled in 5 tournaments.
2017 Spring we are playing in 8 tournaments (including Dreams Park sometime in middle to late June as we requested the last 2 weeks of June and the week before the mid summer classic in July).
It is the world series of travel baseball and they do an amazing job for the kids.
@Charlie - how far in advance did you secure your lodging? 6 months out or even longer. We are looking at renting a house and staying 20-30 minutes away from the park so we can just drive into the hustle and bustle for games but relax and find good eateries which are not packed to the rafters like they are around the park. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated in where to stay, how far or close etc etc.
My son is really excited for upcoming year. Fall season starts September 1st and we have penciled in 5 tournaments.
2017 Spring we are playing in 8 tournaments (including Dreams Park sometime in middle to late June as we requested the last 2 weeks of June and the week before the mid summer classic in July).
It is the world series of travel baseball and they do an amazing job for the kids.
@Charlie - how far in advance did you secure your lodging? 6 months out or even longer. We are looking at renting a house and staying 20-30 minutes away from the park so we can just drive into the hustle and bustle for games but relax and find good eateries which are not packed to the rafters like they are around the park. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated in where to stay, how far or close etc etc.
Very interested in the timing around securing lodging. I am not sure of the details. This would be a new team for my son. He has not committed to playing for them yet. The coaches talked about the 12U team going to Cooperstown and the 13's were going to the Cal Ripken Experience in Myrtle. I am pretty sure they have things planned out.
Curious as to what the lodging expenses were for the week for folks who have been. Also what were the resources you used to search for lodging.
Todem
Footballguy
Go to the Dreams Park web page they have hundreds of resources to secure renting lodging etc. Tons of info there. I just need to get the timing. Anyway lodging can run anywhere from 1K-2K for the week. Depends what you want. Some of our parents are sharing a house.
My wife and I want our privacy and $$ is not an issue.
Don't Noonan
Footballguy
I am head coach of an 11u team this Fall. What is the approximate cost for making this trip for your team? I may pitch the idea to my parents for the goal of going in the summer of 2018.
Charlie Steiner
Footballguy
First, congrats on going next year, enjoy every minute!
As far as lodging goes, I'd book it ASAP just for the peace of mind. The year we went, 4 of us dads went in together on a house, and one of the dads had been there before and took care of it for us. One of the other dads, however, decided after we got there that he wanted more modern comforts and booked himself a room at the hotel, so I guess there's always room available. I would add that if you can get one of the houses by the lake, make that a priority.
As for food, I only ate out two or three time, once at the little diner near Doubleday Field, and I don't remember the names of the other two, but all 3 were quality meals and reasonably priced. I doubt you'll go wrong. I didn't do the brewery tour myself, but I was told it's worth the time and money.
Finally, I feel compelled to give you a warning, especially if you do go in on a place with other families: A lot of gossip and drama can go around due to all the free time between games. I only know of a few teams that have gone, but most of them didn't return intact. The two parents who got into it on my son's team had gotten along well for the 3 years the one boy had been on the team, but all it took was one parent with an axe to grind, a lot of booze to drink and nothing but time to air her grievances to sympathetic ears. The crazy part was that neither the mom with the grievance, nor the other mom were involved. I don't want to overstate that angle, just want you to take whatever measures you see fit to not be one of those parents.
Todem
Footballguy
The cost per kid not including parents if your going to do it right based on 12 players and 4 coaches =
$2310 per player not including airfare for him. That is inclusive of entry fee, all the fixings with uniforms, bag's, cleats, pin trading, shower shoes the works. We have a hired coach who has taken 12 teams now to Cooperstown (won it 2 times and 3 runner up finishes) and it's Disney World for him as much as the kids. He makes sure every single player is sharp, on point and there to play baseball. Uniforms crisp and washed the works. But that is the cost in reality.
Figure for a family of 4 $3600 plus the $2310 for a total of:
$5910 (for a family of 4)
Airfare - 1600
Car Rental - 700
Housing - 1200
Gas - 80-100
I do all the budgeting for our squad.
$2310 per player not including airfare for him. That is inclusive of entry fee, all the fixings with uniforms, bag's, cleats, pin trading, shower shoes the works. We have a hired coach who has taken 12 teams now to Cooperstown (won it 2 times and 3 runner up finishes) and it's Disney World for him as much as the kids. He makes sure every single player is sharp, on point and there to play baseball. Uniforms crisp and washed the works. But that is the cost in reality.
Figure for a family of 4 $3600 plus the $2310 for a total of:
$5910 (for a family of 4)
Airfare - 1600
Car Rental - 700
Housing - 1200
Gas - 80-100
I do all the budgeting for our squad.
Last edited by a moderator:
Todem
Footballguy
Yep...going to look for a house on a lake this weekend and once we get our week confirmed I will book my house.
Yeah that is another reason I do not want to house up with other parents. Too much bleacher talk and booze. Bad combination. We are a very tight nit team though....but yeah I don't want to hear any of it.
Yeah that is another reason I do not want to house up with other parents. Too much bleacher talk and booze. Bad combination. We are a very tight nit team though....but yeah I don't want to hear any of it.
Charlie Steiner
Footballguy
The lake was amazingly clear when we went--you could see down at least 6' to the bottom.
As for the gossip angle, part of it may have been that it was 3 moms and 1 grandmom (her daughter was in her 20's, so she was probably in her 50's somewhere and still active in her own right) that were in a house together, so the gripe of one became the gripe of all. I would guess that if there are multiple dads there, you'd be more likely to have an Evilgrin72-type story to tell than one about how the team imploded.
What really 'sold' me on the Cooperstown Dreams Park experience was that even though the entire range of abilities was there, from teams that looked like they could do with another year or two of tee-ball, to teams full of 12/13 year-old man-children who could all hit the ball 300' and throw no-hitters, and for most of them, the difference in abilities didn't matter, and even the final score, no matter how lopsided, didn't matter; all that mattered was that they were in Cooperstown, together, playing arguably the greatest pastime ever invented.
You should change over. I believe the LL organization is not the best way to build baseball skills.I'm a LL guy myself but
Skipdog77
Footballguy
My son's team is doing Cooperstown All-Star Village this coming week. Not quite as big as Field of Dreams (50 teams vs 100), but I think we will like the fact that its on a smaller scale.
Our league has gone the last 6 years or so, with a team that usually consists of our current 12A summer team.
It will be a great way to end his Little League career. He crushed both the regular season and Williamsport/All-Stars, both at the plate and on the mound. His confidence was through the roof and it was an absolute pleasure to watch. Our initial schedule has us playing 3 teams from Cali (including LA and Thousand Oaks), and one from Martha's Vineyard, so he's psyched. It wlll be cool to play teams from all over. We may get smoked, but hoping we can surprise some teams and make a good showing.
He'll try out for Modified baseball in the Spring, and wants to play on a local travel team next year. Travel hockey just started up again with summer workouts/drills, so it never ends. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Going to be a fun week.
Our league has gone the last 6 years or so, with a team that usually consists of our current 12A summer team.
It will be a great way to end his Little League career. He crushed both the regular season and Williamsport/All-Stars, both at the plate and on the mound. His confidence was through the roof and it was an absolute pleasure to watch. Our initial schedule has us playing 3 teams from Cali (including LA and Thousand Oaks), and one from Martha's Vineyard, so he's psyched. It wlll be cool to play teams from all over. We may get smoked, but hoping we can surprise some teams and make a good showing.
He'll try out for Modified baseball in the Spring, and wants to play on a local travel team next year. Travel hockey just started up again with summer workouts/drills, so it never ends. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Going to be a fun week.
John Kreese
Footballguy
Heading to Dreams Park in 2 weeks with my kid - anyone have any good links for tips, advice, packing lists, etc?
One thing I read some conflicting info on was check in - Our team had planned to get to Cooperstown right at 6pm on Friday to check in but I've heard the process on Friday night takes forever and it might be better waiting until Saturday morning to check in?
One thing I read some conflicting info on was check in - Our team had planned to get to Cooperstown right at 6pm on Friday to check in but I've heard the process on Friday night takes forever and it might be better waiting until Saturday morning to check in?
Charlie Steiner
Footballguy
1. Congratulations on reaching this point in the 'journey'.
2. When we went 6 years ago (
), we did go Friday and while there was somewhat of a backup, it worked out OK. There will be traffic either day, but getting there Friday gives you a little more time to settle in. There's nothing planned until Saturday afternoon, so you don't miss anything by checking in Saturday morning. Toss a coin.3. If you guys do the pin trading, definitely lock them up when you're not in the barracks. Those pins are no joke.
4. Please, please, PLEASE have nothing but fun while you're there, and update this thread on your experience/how your son and his team do when you get back. Even if no one else here wants to hear about it, I do.
Charlie Steiner
Footballguy
They used to run a week for 10U, but they stopped doing that many years ago. I think 10U is probably a tad too young to fully enjoy the experience. The fields are the dimensions most 11U-12U teams play on (70' basepaths, 50' from the pitcher's mound to the plate), so it seems to have more or less been designed for that age group.
Coaches and players stay in the same building; it's more or less the same layout as military barracks. I don't know that kids are required to stay there, but logistically, it's easier to have them stay at the facility.
Regarding free time, check in starts Friday evening, and there is nothing official until early Saturday evening, so there's some free time there. Then, each team plays 2 games/day Sunday-Tuesday, which seeds them for the playoffs that run Wednesday-Thursday. In theory, the kids are free to do what they want before and after their games; however, game start times will vary; the games start as early as 8:30 am and as late as 7:00pm, so they may play back or have up to almost 12 hours between games. As for activities outside the park, Cooperstown itself is still very much just a small town that's trying to stay that way, so there aren't a lot of 'family activity'-type attractions to go to, which makes it a tough sell for siblings. If you aren't staying with the team at the park, you will probably rent someone's house for the week. There are some that are very close to the lake up there, which is great for siblings. I went in with 3 other dads and rented a house that was a few miles from the park, but the baseball schedule kept us in and around the park most of the days. We were free to take our kids away from the park whenever we wanted, but they were having plenty of fun at the park and running around there. We went out for dinner a couple of times, but IIRC there is a curfew for having kids back at the park or keeping them with you overnight. Bottom line, in the time we were there, it was just easier for the ballplayers to stay at the park most of the time and with so many other kids there and pin trading to do, they weren't bored for long. The only free time I had to worry about was in the evenings, but the house we stayed in had satellite TV and internet, so we had all the comforts of home and took it easy when we weren't going to games, though one dad did find the time to go to the local brewery for a tour and tasting, so there's that.
Similar threads
- Poll
