Pirates on the road to Cooperstown
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

A team of 11- and 12-year-old Camarillo boys will play baseball on their field of dreams next summer.

The Camarillo Pirates boys' baseball team was recently invited to play in the Cooperstown Dreams Park National American Tournament of Champions in Cooperstown, N.Y., Aug. 23 through 29.

The city is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

"It's the tournament everybody wants to play in," team coach Charlie Constantine said. "It's been a four-year process, and now the vision is coming to a reality."

Between early June and the end of August, the Cooperstown Dreams Park hosts 96 youth baseball teams from throughout the United States. The teams play each other in weeklong tournaments, and a champion is named every week.

The tournament of champions, held at the end of summer, is open only to teams who have earned enough points throughout the year by winning tournaments in their respective regions.

"That's our elite week," said Mike Walter, managing director of Cooperstown Dreams Park.

"The teams that come that week are top caliber from all over the country."

In order to qualify for the tournament, local parents formed two Camarillo Pirates teams in 2003- one team for 7-year-old boys, the other with 8-year-old boys.

Over the last four years, the team has earned enough points to apply to play at Cooperstown. Coach Constantine said his team is one of the top 15 in Southern California.

"I've been excited ever since I was 8 years old," said Justin Constantine, the coach's 12year-old son. "I've been telling all my baseball buddies about it."

"I think it's real cool that we finally get to go after being together for four years," said Nikko Williams, 12, who plays pitcher and catcher positions. "I'll be nervous, but it'll also be fun."

"It means playing in a class he can't find here locally," said Nikko's mother, Julia Williams. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."

The road to Cooperstown doesn't come cheap.

Expenses run about $2,000 per player. Although the team has raised money to cover expenses for most of its players, more is needed. The team's goal is to raise enough money for the rest of the players and parents to go.

Constantine estimates the team needs to raise about $15,000.

Over the next six months the team will host garage sales, candy sales and carwashes- one is planned for February- and will sign up corporate sponsors. Sponsors' names will be printed on the banner the team displays at all of its games, including the Cooperstown tournament, said Constantine, who owns the Camarillo Baseball and Softball Academy, a team sponsor.

During their weeklong stay in Cooperstown, players and coaches will stay in cabins on park grounds and receive a ring at the end of the tournament. The Camarillo boys also plan to visit the nearby baseball hall of fame.