Once-in-a-lifetime experience CLICK FOR HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
The Cooperstown, NY Dreams Park Tournament is an event spanning 12 weeks each summer. Each week, over 100 teams from across the U.S. and Canada compete in a week-long tournament where all players and coaches spend the week living and playing baseball together at the 22-field (all identical) Dreams Park Village complex.
The teams play a minimum of seven games (weather permitting) during their tournament week. An opening ceremony includes skydivers, a skills competition and other festivities for players, coaches and their families. At the closing ceremony, each player, coach and umpire is individually recognized and inducted into the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame. They also receive a tournament ring to commemorate their induction.
The Mountville Indians team has been attending this tournament every year since 2002. The Indians were the champions of their week in 2003, and won the “around the horn” skills competition in 2013 – quite an accomplishment for a “town” team competing in a national tournament that primarily attracts all-star tournament teams.
Mountville Youth Athletic Association’s (MYAA) supports Indians’ participation in tournament
As evidence of its support, in the early years of the Indians’ participation in the tournament the MYAA generously advanced the tournament registration fee, which is due before that year’s team is selected and Indians’ fundraising activities can occur. Economic challenges over the years, however, made the practice of advancing this deposit more difficult for the MYAA. In response to that situation, an anonymous benefactor stepped forward to provide seed money to create a fund from which the advance registration is paid each year. The fund is fully replenished each year through Indians’ fundraising activities and payments made by parents of Indians players; the full cost of the tournament ultimately being absorbed by the families of the Indian players through personal funds offset by any fundraising dollars raised by or on behalf of their player.
The cost to participate in this tournament is more than $1,000 per player. This cost includes team lodging at the complex, meals at the complex and all tournament fees. Players and coaches also are issued team uniforms and jackets.
Each year, Indian fundraising activities are organized by team parents to offset tournament costs for the players and their families. The Indians also participate in MYAA fundraising efforts that support the MYAA as a whole.
Contact the MYAA to make any contributions to support the Indians Cooperstown tournament and/or the MYYA organization.
Contributions to support the “Indians Cooperstown Tournament” MUST be marked / specifically designated for this purpose.