Members of the Gilroy Xtreme 12U travel baseball team get
once-in-a-lifetime chance to play in Cooperstown Dreams tourney
It happens every year.
Nine thousands youth baseball teams across the country sit patiently on a waiting list, hoping to hear they’ve been selected to play in the Cooperstown Dreams Park tournament in New York.
A few years ago, Warren Gaspar’s 12U Gilroy Xtreme travel team was one of the teams-in-waiting.
“After the first year, we were in spot No. 2005 on the waiting list,” Gaspar said.
But the Xtreme wouldn’t have to be patient for much longer. In 2004, the team got the nod for the famed event. All summer long, Cooperstown Dreams Park hosts weekly 12-and-under tournaments in which teams from all over the country participate.
Now another generation of Gilroy Xtreme players has gotten the chance to make the trip to Cooperstown, home of baseball’s Hall of Fame.
“These kids have no clue what they’re in for,” Gaspar said at a recent Xtreme practice, where the team was fine-tuning for the trip. “I’ve been to five national tournaments with my oldest son and even that doesn’t compare.”
Thanks to the tournament’s grandfather clause, the Gilroy Xtreme has an annual automatic berth into the 96-team tournament. After giving away the team’s spot to a Santa Cruz travel squad last summer, Gaspar is taking 11 new players to the tournament this year.
“It’s just an honor to play in New York,” said second baseman Tyler Gardner at a recent Xtreme practice at the YMCA fields in Morgan Hill. “I’ve never gotten a chance to travel to play baseball.”
The Xtreme plays its first of at least eight games in the tournament tomorrow.
For one week, the Gilroy Xtreme will live the Little Leaguer’s fantasy life of eating, sleeping and playing baseball at the sport’s storied hometown. Team members and coaches will live in a dorm with the other teams, get inducted into the Youth Baseball Hall of Fame, receive tournament rings and play on pristinely manicured baseball diamonds.
“They play on Cadillac baseball fields there,” Gaspar said, noting that the Cooperstown fields have their own weather tracking systems. “It’s almost like a mini-pro camp for kids.”
For the most part, the players are excited to see the competition the rest of the country has to offer.
“I’ve heard that there are really good teams up there,” said player Thomas Bueno of Morgan Hill.
The 2004 Xtreme team that went to Cooperstown finished eighth. Gaspar would like to see this squad perform similarly. Gilroy’s last team was big, but this year’s squad has lot of speed and quickness, especially in the outfield, Gaspar said.
On the mound and at the plate, the Xtreme will rely on Jordan Talbot, a sizeable pitcher from Santa Cruz. Talbot bats in the No. 4 spot. Gilroy’s Thomas Harrington and lefty hurler Brandon Villar will also carry the pitching load.
Catchers Ryan Bay of Gilroy and Joey Schulman of Carmel will play key roles as catchers.
“Those two guys carry heavy work behind the plate,” Gaspar said.
Koahu Gaspar, Warren’s 14-year-old son, was on the 2004 team that went to Cooperstown. In that tournament, he batted .863 with six home runs. This time, he’ll be with the team as a coach.
“It was a good experience just to be around the whole baseball atmosphere,” Koahu remembered. “Hopefully, we can get farther than last time.”
While in the New York area, many of the players will also take a trip to New York City and even take in a Mets game.
All in all, it will make for a unique experience that few area ballplayers get to take part in.
“One thing I tell people is maybe one percent of kids (that are 10, 11 or 12 years old) from Gilroy and Morgan Hill get a chance to go here,” Gaspar said.
Gilroy Xtreme Cooperstown Dream Roster
Ryan Bay, Gilroy
Erik Brolin, Gilroy
Andrew Bueno, Morgan Hill
Robert Driscol, Gilroy
Nader Elaskary, Gilroy
Tyler Gardner, Fremont
Thomas Harrington, Gilroy
Bryant Park, Gilroy
Joey Schulman, Carmel
Jordan Talbot, Santa Cruz
Brandon Villar, Gilroy
July 2
vs. Dublin Green Sox (OH)
vs. Pittsburgh Wild Things (PA)
July 3
vs. North Florida Hurricanes (FL)
vs. Park Ridge Jr. Hawks (IL)
July 4
vs. Mt. Olive Marauders (NJ)
vs. Texas Longhorns (TX)
July 5
vs. Roswell Centennial Knights (GA)
