Cooperstown Dreams Park: The Trip of a Lifetime
A local group of 11 players and three coaches from Thurmont Little League have teamed up to plan the baseball trip of a lifetime in August 2021. The team, consisting of players ages 10 through 12, will participate in the prestigious Cooperstown Dreams Park Tournament in Cooperstown, New York. This tournament is well known nationwide and attracts hundreds of youth baseball teams each summer.
This annual event has a long waiting list and is difficult to get into. However, with the help of Coach Jeff Potter from the Potter Baseball Tour, the team was able to secure a spot in this summer’s event. The team will play under the name Potter Pirates Black. Thurmont Little League has partnered with Potter Baseball on several activities over the past few years, including a charity kickball tournament to benefit the Fuse Teen Center and a painting project on the exterior of the Thurmont Food Bank. They are excited to partner with Coach Potter and his organization again for this amazing opportunity. The local team will consist of players Jay Code, Brennan Conrad, Chase Cregger, Carson Fry, Mason Hewitt, Lane Koenig, Nathaniel Morlan, Justice Myers, Theron Rolko, Hunter Sanbower, and Tanner Shorb. Manager John Code and assistant coaches Keith Myers and Chris Morlan will accompany the team to Cooperstown, along with umpire Blaine Young and Coach Potter.
Players and coaches get to stay on-site for a week, lodging at Baseball Village. They will be spending quality time together, meeting players from all over the country, and, of course, playing a lot of baseball. They will be provided with daily meals and custom uniforms for the tournament. The team will get to partake in an opening and closing ceremony, skills competitions, and a minimum of seven games. Other benefits include Pin trading, personalized baseball cards for the players, tournament rings, and a trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum. There will be digital webcasts of the games and highlights as well for those wishing to follow along at home.
The trip comes with a hefty cost, so the team is fundraising and seeking support from the community to help them fulfill their dreams. They are asking the community to consider supporting the team at a fundraiser or by donating to the group. Many efforts are already underway such as Roy Rogers and Thurmont Kountry Kitchen donating a portion of their proceeds from scheduled fundraiser nights. In addition, there has also been a Pampered Chef Party fundraiser and a Super Bowl grid fundraiser in support of the team. A Go Fund Me page has also been established as a method of collecting online donations. For more information on how you can help support this worthy cause, please contact team manager, John Code at [email protected].
