By Gina Tagliarino
Let's take a minute and think back to the summer joy of America's favorite pastime here, in the place where when you were 12 years old. What highlightsbrcome to mind? An extra-large scoop of icebrcream? The world's highest cannonball splash? Plenty of grass and dirt stains? (Sorry, Mom!) Forbrone Southlake 12U baseball team, the summer of '17brwill always be remembered as the one when dreamsbrcame true. This is the summer the Dragon Dreamersbrwill set out for Cooperstown Dreams Park—site of thebrAmerican Youth Baseball Hall of Fame—alongsidebrtwo children, dubbed assistant coaches, with specialbrneeds. And what a summer it will be.
CREATING THE DREAMbr
It all started with a simple idea. Many years ago, NewbrYork's Coach Lou Presutti and his father visited thebrBaseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, thebrhome of baseball, when a thought struck them: Whatbrif every young baseball player could experience the the sport originated? After coaching baseball for 34bryears, Coach Presutti and his wife Linda decided it wasbrtime to turn this idea into a reality, opening CooperstownbrDreams Park in 1996 to the excitement of baseball fansbrand players across America. And so, a new traditionbrwas born.
As former New York residents, Southlake mom andbrDragon Dreamers operations manager/treasurer, MichelebrCiccone, and her husband and Dragon Dreamers coach,brDavid Ciccone, have long been friends with the Pre-brsutti family. They liken the experience of the park as onbrpar with the country's most-coveted theme parks. Thebrcouple had the opportunity to bring their own sons tobrthe park as young players.br
“We like to call it the Disney World for baseball,”brMichele gushes. “You feel like you're in a different timebrand place when you're there. Coach Lou had two phi-brlosophies when he built the park: to dream dreams and to be your own hero. This is an opportunity forbrkids to be proud of what they're doing.”
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For the past decade, hundreds of baseballbrteams have traveled to Cooperstown to enjoy abronce-in-a-lifetime week where they truly experi-brence what it's like to be a Major League Baseballbrplayer. They live on campus, do their laundrybronsite, and of course, play ball on the iconic eldsbrwhere baseball began. The only catch? Playersbrmust be 12 years old or younger.br
“It's the last year of Little League,” Michelebrexplains. “A lot of kids after age 12 don't con-brtinue with baseball because it gets really seriousbrand competitive. It's kind of the last hoorah forbrthese kids.”br
BUILDING THE TEAMbr
But this year, it's also the beginning of some-brthing bigger ... whether it's a deeper interest inbrthe sport, a greater understanding for othersbrand sometimes, even an unexpected friendship.brThat's because this year marks a connection withbrplayers with special needs—Sam Kline and WyattbrKwentus have been invited to join the team asbrthey practice, play, and well, eat plenty of pizzabr(as Dragon Dreamers coaches David Cicconebrand Dave Gamache can attest) while bonding asbra team headed for Cooperstown this July. And itbrbegan, once again, with a little inspiration frombrthe late Coach Lou Presutti himself.br
“Coach Lou was here for the opening day of the MiraclebrLeague of Southlake in 2015,” says John Slocum, secretarybrof the Southlake Dragon Dreamers. Slocum played a keybrrole in the development and successful launch of the city'sbrleague, and knew its players were destined for Cooper-brstown. It just took a little teamwork.br
“In his speech, Lou indicated that he wanted to developbra relationship between Cooperstown and Southlake,”brSlocum explains. “We got in touch with [Southlakebrmayor] Laura Hill, drew up some guidelines and estab-brlished a relationship between five groups: the MiraclebrLeague of Southlake, Southlake Baseball Association,brCity of Southlake, Southlake Carroll School Board andbrCooperstown. The ve groups agreed to work together tobrput a program in place where kids with special needs werebrinvolved.”br
Now, two years later, the hard work is paying off. Klinebrand Kwentus have already made a great impact on thebrDragon Dreamers, but it shouldn't come as a surprise. Afterbrall, Coach Ciccone says this kind of open spirit was one ofbrthe quali cations for being chosen for his 12U team.br
“We looked at their attitudes, their personalities, theirbrwillingness to learn,” explains Coach Ciccone of the tryouts.br“And a critical part was buying into the understanding ofbrwhat the team was all about. It's more than just playingbrbaseball. We told the parents we're going to be buddiesbrwith the Miracle League.”br
The result was a group of kids—both boys and girls—asbrpassionate about the sport of baseball as about growingbras people. Southlake mom Lisa DeBord has already seenbrthe impact the program has made in her sonbrWalker's life, striking up new friendships along thebrway. When given the choice to play for a varietybrof established teams in the area after his Triple A/brMajors team disbanded, he chose the SouthlakebrDragon Dreamers because of its Miracle Leaguebrconnection.
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“For almost all of Walker's life, we have knownbrthat he was an old soul, deeply connected to Godbrand those around him in profound and unexplainedbrways,” DeBord says. “On the rst day of practice,brwhere the Miracle League players were present, webrwatched as he befriended the kids and engagedbrand encouraged those around him. He told us, ‘Ibrwant them to feel like they are an important partbrof our team.'”br
This inclusive attitude makes this year's pathbrto Cooperstown so special. Sure, it's nice to win,brwhich the team was successful in doing even dur-bring its rst game together. But the memories madebrduring movie nights at the coaches' homes, thebrdinners out as a team and the time spent learn-bring by example as they watch Southlake's highbrschool baseball teams cheer each other on arebrtruly life-changing.br
“We're more than just a team going to Cooper-brstown,” Michele explains. “Our goal is to have this bebrmore than just baseball; we want every child to bebrinvolved in everything—the practices, fundraisers,brtournaments, pizza parties and social events.”br
EXPANDING THE MOVEMENTbr
Dr. Mary Johnston, executive director for specialbrprograms for Carroll ISD, also assisted with select-bring the coaches with special needs. “This is a greatbrstep in involving all players in the game of base-brball,” she says. “I hope this summer encouragesbrCooperstown teams from across the United Statesbrto include students with special needs as coachesbrand part of this unforgettable experience.”br
Ideally, teams including players with specialbrneeds would be welcomed to Cooperstownbrduring the same week, having the uniquebropportunity to play against one another for anbrunforgettable experience.br
And for those Miracle League players who aren'tbrable to visit Cooperstown? They'll still get the chancebrto enjoy that Disney World feeling, as players from the Miracle League walk through a replica arch each October in Southlake during the season's closing ceremonies, just as each player in Cooperstown is inducted into the Youth Baseball Hall of Fame. The arch, built as an Eagle project from Boy Scout Troop 928, brings the whole experience full circle.br
Mayor Laura Hill isbrlooking forward to herbrtrip to Cooperstown thisbrJuly and has been a partbrof this journey since thebrbeginning. But she's notbrat all surprised that it hasbrcome to fruition.br
“People are very sup-brportive of baseball inbrour city,” Mayor Hill says.br“We love embracing all ofbrour youth in the Dragonbrtradition. This commu-brnity has always been sobrsupportive of helpingbrany child of any abilitybrachieve their dreams.”br
Dream big dreams. Be your own hero. These mantras started it all, and Coach Presutti's once
simple idea has become a mission that is certain to take Southlake's—and thebrcountry's—youngest baseball players further than evenbrhe could dream.