The Crown Jewel of Youth Baseball
The Grand Baseball Academy began in Rexburg in 2017. It started as a coalition of passionate young athletes and supportive parents. However, it has now turned into a force to be reckoned with in the world of competitive youth baseball.
Dubbed the crown jewel of youth baseball, the Cooperstown Dreams Park Tournament is where these young boys get to showcase their talents. Going by the team name of Idaho Grand, they are one of 104 teams from all over the country to compete in the tournament this week. As well as being the only team to represent the state of Idaho.
Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame and the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame, is a place steeped in baseball history. The atmosphere alone is worth the trip for these youngsters and their families.
“It’s unreal,” said Brady Gardner, one of the team’s coaches. “This tournament is really all about having fun and enjoying the very best of baseball. There’s no better place for our kids to experience the richness of baseball history in a fun and competitive environment.”
For The Love of The Game
The mission of the Cooperstown Dreams Park is to provide a cultural and life-enriching experience for young boys and girls who love the game of baseball. Cooperstown Dreams Park is a family baseball park featuring fun and excitement; friends and families spend their vacations here, watching teams from around the country play baseball.
The Idaho Grand team has a roster of 11 boys, including: Will Chappell, Dawson McInelly, Cannon Eddie, Tanner Johnson, Preston Foltz, Carson Choules, Jack Gardner, Hazen Torgerson, Hudson Chambers, Tanner Scott, & Sam Chappell.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity for these kids,” said Gardner. “To experience all this baseball history, compete against teams from across the country, and to have this much fun doing it is something these kids will never forget.”
Pre-Tournament Schedule
The team is slated to play six games between Sunday and Tuesday before the single-elimination tournament begins. They will be squaring off against teams from Maryland, Indiana, Florida, New York, Arizona, & Tennessee. Their final three games before the tournament will be all be available to stream online at www.DreamsParkTV.com.
For more information regarding the team and tournament contact Brady Gardner at 208-206-6785 or at brady.gardner@gmail.com. You can also visit the team’s Facebook page HERE.