Community Corner

Baseball Team Needs Help Getting to Cooperstown

The U12 baseball team are fundraising to play at Dreams Park.

Every professional baseball player’s dream is to make it to Cooperstown. The U12 boys’ baseball travel team is hoping to get a taste of that by playing in a summer tournament next year at Dreams Park.

And the fundraising already started. After all, the boys need about $20,000.

That amount not only helps to fund their trip, but gets them brand new uniforms, bat bags, helmets and much more.

Find out what's happening in Cinnaminsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“This is their big year,” said Tim Durkin, head coach. “We spoil them. It’s become custom for the 12-year-old team to go to Cooperstown in the summer. It’s a great experience for all the boys.”

The Cooperstown trip is next summer and the boys—along with their families—stay for an entire week. They play tournament games against teams from all over the country at Dreams Park in Cooperstown, blocks away from the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Find out what's happening in Cinnaminsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“It’s the cream of the crop of teams,” Durkin said. “It’s nice to play against that type of competition.”

During the week, the boys—of course—get to tour the museum.

“Hopefully, they will remember it for the rest of their lives,” Durkin said.

Durkin, who came on as head coach earlier this year, coached the . Almost all the same boys made the U12 team this fall for next year’s Cooperstown-bound team.

Now, Durkin—along with assistant coaches Matt Paolillo, Scott Overman and Ramsey Wojkowski—and the players and parents are holding fundraisers from now until the summer to fund their big trip.

The first Monday of each month, at , 15 percent of proceeds will be donated to the boys’ fundraising efforts. The next fundraiser night is Monday, Dec. 5 from 6 to 9 p.m.

(The PDF is pictured to the right.)

Tonight, a Texas hold ‘em tournament fundraiser is being held and the team will have a booth at this weekend’s winter festival.

Durkin said the group is doing a PJ’s night soon and in January, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament for kids and adults will raise funds for the boys.

“Most of the boys on the team haven’t been there,” said Durkin, “so this will be a cool experience for them. When I was 13, they took our travel team to Cooperstown. I’ll always remember that.”

To donate to the boys’ trip fund, contact Durkin at tdurkin16@gmail.com.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here