Back in the winter of 1993, I happened to find out that I could sign up my 4 year old little boy for T-ball. This was something that I had always dreamed of, having a little boy and then being able to coach him in youth sports. Little did I know that that trip to the Euless Parks and Recreation department would begin providing some of the most rewarding moments of my lifetime. That 4 year old, Kyle, is now an 18 year old freshman at Baylor University and I coached him in baseball from age 4 until he turned 14. In the same year (right after all-stars), our second son, Cole was born. Cole, now 13, has enabled me to continue coaching and being involved in baseball.

My wife Tracy, and I have been married for 23 years and she has been there to support us “3 boys” through all of the challenges of being a “baseball wife”. We have lived in Colleyville since 1995, but we did not start playing baseball in Colleyville until 1998. For those history buffs, this was the year that Colleyville Baseball played actual games at O.C. Taylor (Yes, games were played at O.C. Taylor for ages 5-10 while City Park was under construction).

In 1999, I was recruited to be T-Ball commissioner and later that year I was recruited to be treasurer for the organization, a natural fit for a C.P.A. After 1 and ½ years as treasurer, I moved over to Commissioner and 3 years ago I was elected as President of the CBA. Over the years, I have seen CBA have successes both on and off the field. For me personally, I have had the opportunity to coach 33 baseball teams including recreational, all-star, as well as travel teams, not to mention numerous basketball and football teams.

This year is a both happy and sad year for me as my son, Cole, will be entering high school in the fall of 2007 and correspondingly, this will be my last year to coach a son in CBA and be president of the CBA. The long hours, the numerous phone calls and e-mails, as well as the opportunity to manage and coach in an incredible baseball association have been both challenging and rewarding. Youth baseball is a great teacher to participants as well as the supporters of those participants.

I will end with an excerpt from my wife’s favorite movie, Field of Dreams:

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again."