Dream Day at Fenway

James tried to play baseball in our neighborhood little league this past Spring. For exactly 1 practice.

I only saw the last 5 minutes of the practice and knew that continuing would be emotionally disastrous, so pulled him from the team. When I told the coach, he said he "would have tried to work with him, but maybe it was better that I pulled him". I was heartbroken, but was still determined to give James a chance to play baseball with his friends.

So when I heard that CVS Caremark All Kids Can was coming to Boston to create a "Dream Day at Fenway" for children with disabilities, I called my autism mama friends and we made our own team official. An inclusion team of autistic kids and their siblings that we called the Boston Spinners.

The opportunity came with some sad feelings. I'm lucky to have such a supportive autism village in my actual village, but I'm acutely aware that there shouldn't be that many children in my neighborhood with autism. My D'MAC (Determined (sometimes Drinking) Moms of Autism spectrum disorder Children) group is so big that not everyone on our "team" could participate, but ALL of our kids deserved this opportunity.

The easiest part was choosing our Coach. Boston City Councilor-at-Large John Connolly has done more for our families and our children than anyone else I know in this city. He has become our Champion and our friend. When he meets a mom with kids who have autism and feels isolated, he reaches out to us. He continually stands up for our children, all of whom are in the Boston Public Schools. As Chair of the Education Committee, John gives a voice to our families and children who don't feel like they have one.

The day was an absolute Dream Day. We had Fenway Park almost all to ourselves. We got to hang out in the Sox Dugout and go behind it into a hidden batting cage, as the incredibly charismatic and patient Sox batting coach Dave Magadan gave the kids some well deserved attention and batting help. Then we got to walk OUT ON THE FIELD and touch the Green Monster (something everyone who has ever been to Fenway has wanted to do!). Sadly the Sox are so far down in the standings that we were actually standing in front of our record while taking photos, but the kids each touched "Boston" on the wall to give us some luck.

The kids (and parents!) were already thrilled, but the day wasn't close to being over. They all got to hit pitches thrown by Coach Dave on the field! Watching the kids see the balls they hit go into the infield was amazing. Hearing them talk about how far they hit it was even better. D, for whom the 95 degree heat was an intense problem emotionally (totally get that!) ended up giving a play by play about his batting session: "No, that wasn't a home run...it was a triple"; "now that was a home run, see how far I hit it", "foul ball!" (I'm tempted to try to introduce him to Joe Castiglione, beloved Sox announcer and fellow Colgate graduate.)

Coach Dave told my James he was a "low ball hitter, and hit just like Big Papi" and James beamed. He had no idea what a low ball hitter is, but he sure as heck knows who Big Papi is, so he knew what a huge compliment that was.

During lunch in the dugout, Wally paid a visit to sign autographs and pose for pictures (Johnny Drama was hiding in the dugout, but James bravely went up and shook his hand as long as I promised I wouldn't take pictures, which I said "of course" as I instructed my friend to snap away ;) The first part of the day ended with a great tour around Fenway, checking out the Monster seats and asking questions D'MAC style. James asked "what was the first game that was won here?" and the guide looked towards him with a hint of surprise, but then didn't miss a beat and answered "It was the first game here ever. April 20 1912. They beat the New York Highlanders, who went crying home to their mommies and changed their name to the Yankees."

Cheers all around.

Cheers for the tour guide and for our hostess Amanda, and for the entire Red Sox organization. For MJ and CVS Caremark All Kids Can for setting up the day and giving these kids a once in a lifetime chance to be a team. At Fenway. For Wally for standing around in 95 degree heat as every kid (and all the moms ;) got to take a photo with him. And especially for Dave Magadan who treated each one of our kids like they were actually going to be playing for the Red Sox that night.

And for the Sox, for whom the magic of the Boston Spinners together touching "Boston" on the Green Monster helped spark a huge victory that night. The Boston Spinners were there to watch and cheer their beloved team. Maybe we should be invited back before every home game. Just to touch the Green Monster.

And maybe to get a few more batting lessons with Coach Dave. Because he is that awesome.

Click here to get a glimpse of our day  --->  Boston Spinners at Fenway Park.

A million thanks to all who made it happen.

Play Ball at Fenway!

Last fall James had the incredible opportunity to be a New England Patriot for a Day. I posted about my game plan here and then gave the play by play here.

Both James and his friend had a blast. I was thrilled watching James participate, and was really impressed by the CVS Caremark All Kids Can program. I could tell that a lot of effort went in to making the day so much fun for all the kids, and the volunteers were all absolutely fantastic.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime sort of day, and I was grateful we were able to be a part of it.

So I'm really excited that CVS Caremark All Kids Can is bringing their A game to Fenway Park this summer, and they want teams of children with disabilities, and inclusive baseball teams, to come play ball!

Each team that participates will get: 

Photo by Constance Brown Photography



• Hitting tips and instruction in the Red Sox batting tunnel with Red Sox Batting Coach Dave Magadan
• On-field batting practice with Coach Magadan
• A walk around the Warning Track for a team photo with Coach Magadan in front of The Green Monster
• Boxed lunches and gift bags in the Red Sox dugout
• A VIP tour of Fenway Park
• Early entry to pre-game Red Sox batting practice
• Tickets to game in the CVS/pharmacy Family section for baseball camp participants

This is really going to be a dream day for your child's team -- even if the team is made up of friends and you are the coach!

Photo by Constance Brown Photography

The online application process for this summer's camps is open through May 15th, so don't wait! You can learn more about the CVS Caremark All Kids Can Baseball Camps and apply for your team at CVSCaremarkAllKidsCan.

Check out this great video about this incredible experience. Your team is going to love it, and so will you!

 

Photos and video used with permission.

CVS Caremark AKC Pats Day Part 2: Post Game Analysis

editor's note: if you haven't yet read Pre-Game Planning, this will make a lot more sense if you click the link and read the background (at least I hope it will...)  

As any good manager knows, it is often necessary to make adjustments as the game approaches. 

he was ready to go at 6 am!  (We didn't leave until noon

so he had time to take his pajama pants off...)

I knew the amazing crew at CVS Caremark All Kids Can got James a t-shirt, but I wanted him to feel like he was a Patriot before he even left the house. I was thinking Wes Welker, but the football jersey gods had other ideas, so James was sporting an equally fantastic looking Danny Woodhead jersey for his arrival at the stadium. Luca, his close friend and the clear leader of the two, was appropriately wearing #12.

The climate change gods threw another wrench in the game plan and decided a Nor'easter would make the day more interesting, so All Kids Can Patriots Day was moved to the practice fieldhouse. Not the jaw dropping stadium experience I was hoping for, but probably a good move since 5 minutes after we arrived the skies opened up.

The boys were thrilled to walk into the fieldhouse and directly through the enormous, totally cool inflatable Patriots helmet. Once on the field, they were ready to play some football (or in James' case, some sort of hybrid football/ soccer/ rugby/ handball sort of game).

Coaches Patrick "Triple P" Pass (as dubbed by one of the kids), Max Lane and Jon Williams could not have been more amazing. They were funny, patient, engaging and encouraging, and that was just with us parents. With the kids they were extraordinary!

Role Reversal

As manager, you always hope your players are mentally prepared for the game, but sometimes they need a little extra motivation.  After stretching with the coaches, Luca wasn't thrilled with the drills and preferred to break off and start his own game, pulling his little shadow with him. Luca's mom and I knew we need to adjust the game plan a bit so we offered our players a little bribe incentive to stick with the team and give 100%.

Then I saw something amazing happen. My little follower, who has NEVER gone against Luca's game plan, started dragging, yes, physically DRAGGING, his friend back to the rest of the team. We watched as roles were reversed for the first time in their 3 year friendship, and I was thrilled to see my son exude the confidence needed to lead by example for the first time ever. It carried over onto the field.

James tackled the Tackle!

Luca settled more easily into the routine of the drills, and the boys had fun, but then something set James off.  It was the arrival of the Nutcracker Pat Patriot, who must have sensed that the misnomer came from Luca, because while Luca's mom and I were in hysterics laughing about it, Pat Patriot snuck up behind Sheri and scared her silly. Luca saw his mom in distress and tried to take down Pat Patriot, and James cowered behind a coach, far away from all the action.

Luca and his beloved Nutcracker

It didn't take long for Luca and Pat Patriot to become friends, and the two palled around for the rest of the session. James, however, was on edge whenever he came near, but the volunteers, coaches and cheerleaders tried their best to engage him (extra special thanks to Sarah, a Patriots cheerleader with a heart of gold, for coming over and kneeling down to talk to James, trying to make him feel better).

Lunch might have been one of James' favorite parts of the day, but Luca was more interested in the autographs. When it was our turn to get autographs from the players and cheerleaders, Luca sauntered over to the cheerleaders' table and said "Hey ladies, who would like my autograph?" Athena graciously agreed, and Luca gave her a poster of the cheerleaders, inscribed "To Athena, From Luca".  Seriously, how can you not love this kid? The boys scored autographs from everyone, plus extras from the cheerleaders (just in case Dad wanted one).

Although James preferred to sit on the sidelines a little, he had a fantastic time, and when it was time to go, we got a chorus of "It's over already?  But we don't want to go", as well as some tired sounding "That was the best day ever, wasn't it" from Woodhead and Brady in the backseat on the way home as they investigated the contents of the backpacks they were given and ate the french fries they worked so hard to earn.

A huge thank you to CVS Caremark All Kids Can and The New England Patriots for such an amazing day. We are lucky as a community that you not only believe all kids can, but that you donate your time, money, resources and most of all, your undivided attention to our children so that they can believe it also.

Thank you Patriots (do you notice that the coaches are all blocking Pat Patriot from James?;)

ALL KIDS CAN!

CVS Caremark AKC Pats Day part 1. Pre-Game planning

James and I have an incredible opportunity tomorrow, all thanks to a friend I met through writing this blog and some people we're going to meet tomorrow. People who believe in creating amazing opportunities for kids and work really hard to make them happen.

Tomorrow we are invited to participate in the CVS Caremark All Kids Can Patriots Day at my old stomping grounds, Gillette Stadium. I haven't been back there since I was a consultant for the Patriots in '04. We won the Superbowl, James was only 1 and Tony and I had no idea what autism really meant.

It is going to be a really special day, for both of us. Check out what they have planned:

The stadium will be transformed into a “gridiron of dreams” for children with varying disabilities who will spend the afternoon with former New England Patriots players gaining first-hand experience of what it’s like to be a Patriot for the day!

The kids actually get to run out onto the field through the oversized Patriots inflatable helmet. How cool is that?  Then they get to do warm-ups and stretches, cone running drills, and blocking, kicking and throwing skills.  When they are all tired out, we'll enjoy lunch together, and then get autographs and take photos with alumni, and, of course, the day wouldn't be complete without meeting the mascot of the New England Patriots – Pat Patriot, and then visiting The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon.

I'll be taking tons of pictures and posting a Gil Santos-like play by play on Facebook (on my own wall and on my Running to be Still FB page) and I'll be tweeting as much as @ochocinco usually does. Follow me on twitter by clicking here or by searching the hashtag #AKCPatsDay to get all the action from the day.

Since I adhere to the Brady/ Belichick school of pre-game preparation, there are some things I need to do to prepare for tomorrow. First and foremost, I need replace an outgrown jersey for James so he arrives in uniform. I'm thinking he is a Wes Welker kid. Do you agree?

I can't wait for tomorrow. It is going to be an amazing day, thanks to CVS Caremark All Kids Can.