By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Publisher Following the second of three hour-long games at the opening weekend of the South Jersey Field of Dreams in Absecon on April 19, Asbegami freshman baseball coach Joe Sabath gave the more than two dozen Braves athletes from various sports who were there to volunteer their time the option to head home. Just about all of them stayed, grabbing a hot dog from the concession stand and mingling with parents and children who, for several months in the spring and fall, get to enjoy youth baseball in a way that many of them never dreamed. Opening Weekend is a special time for an organization that impacts the lives of so many. Fran Northridge, public relations director for South Jersey Field of Dreams, said the league started 12 years ago with four teams and less than three dozen kids playing youth baseball on a dirt field. Now entering its 13th year, Field of Dreams has become one of the premier leagues in all of South Jersey where kids facing physical and cognitive challenges can go to enjoy youth baseball. “We started out with about four teams and maybe 30 or 35 kids. Now we have about 260. We have 14 teams now, and obviously the facility is great,” said Northridge, who has been involved with the league since its inception. “We’ve made a lot of new improvements, including a new sound system and an awning (over the announcer’s table). We have our new mascot, which is really exciting. That’s been a major thing for us.” The facility was buzzing with activity a half hour before the first pitch on April 19. Coaches were popping open cardboard boxes containing uniforms and hats, volunteers were busy getting food ready in the concession stand, and Joe Brown, who organizes the event, was worried about his singer showing up to sing the national anthem as well as whether the planned flyover by a Coast Guard helicopter would go off without a hitch. 
Field of Dreams relies heavily on the support of volunteers from area high school athletic teams. Here, Absegami softball star Becca Roesch smiles for a photo with a player from the Athletics team during opening weekend. Northridge said there rarely is a shortage of volunteers from various organizations and schools throughout the Atlantic County area. “For the volunteers who come out every week, we actually have those organizations sign up well in advance. We pretty much have the whole season lined up for volunteers. The whole community really gets behind it, so it’s very exciting for everybody,” Northridge said. DaGrosa said Opening Weekend also provides a great opportunity for all of the parents to reconnect. Many of the parents of kids who are on the same team live in different towns and don’t get a chance to see each other very much during the offseason. “This is a great opportunity for us to reconnect with the other parents. Maybe we don’t get to see each other on a typical basis. We become friends and a broader family,” DaGrosa said. “Mark has never missed a game. The best part is everybody wins. It’s a win-win situation for parents and children alike. We’re going to miss it (when the season is over). It’s a good two months for them. Mark gets the best out of every season and we’re looking forward to coming back every year.” The Absegami High School media club also gets involved, making videos about the league and interviewing some of the players. DaGrosa said her son got a chance to be interviewed last year. “He was in a short media film that the Absegami kids made last year, and one of the things that he shared with them was that this is the field, the place, where his dreams come true,” DaGrosa said. “He always wanted to play on a baseball team, and this is where he realized his goal.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays To view 125 photos from South Jersey Field of Dreams opening weekend, please visit our Facebook page, facebook.com/acglorydays. [adsense]
Opening Weekend always an exciting event for South Jersey Field of Dreams
