The Stars won the
Cooperstown Classic Tournament in 2010!
he Stars hosted the Stampede from Austin, Texas in the championship game. Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 7th with two outs and bases loaded, Bianca roped a liner to right field to score the winning run. Truly, a thrilling game! Diamond Dreams told us it was one of the best championship games this summer.
Lincoln State Stars
Fundraising Goal: $20,000
To Date: $20,742.00
The Diamond Dreams at Cooperstown
A 10U Illinois All-Star fast-pitch softball team called the Lincoln State Stars has been assembled to attend the Diamond Dreams tournament at Cooperstown. See Roster.
The Diamond Dreams at Cooperstown will give the girls of the Lincoln State Stars a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. Cooperstown, NY has opened their girls softball facility for this upcoming Spring/Summer 2010. This is the first year they are hosting girls softball and the 10U age group has only one week scheduled for the entire season (August 14-20).
There is more information on the Diamond Dreams website, but just to highlight - the all-inclusive experience includes:
- 7 days / 6 nights accommodations at Diamond Dreams
- Private team clubhouse in softball village
- 16 nutritious meals
- 2 full uniforms (home and away, shorts, jersey, socks and headband)
- 7 game guarantee plus playoffs
- Opening and closing ceremonies
- Team skills challenge with awards
- Enshrinement into the National Youth Sports Hall of Fame
- Exclusive Hall of Fame Ring
- Entrance to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
- Team Picture
- Team Laundry Service
- Shuttle to Cooperstown/Glimmerglass State Park
- College exposure information/educational and activity program
- Weekly guest speakers / vendors / family entertainment
- Two trained chaperones assigned to each team. One is a college softball player (the other can be a female coach). Each will reside and sleep in the team cabin for entire week. (Girls are never unsupervised and parents can check the kids out at anytime)
- Free parking and Free admission for all spectators to all games and ceremonies
The facility is under 24-hour supervision by trained New York State certified security. The softball village is a closed and secure environment for registered guests of Diamond Dreams.
This experience will be funded through the Kids Can Foundation. Sponsorships, grants, and charitable contributions are currently being sought.
Message from Diamond Dreams
The founders of Diamond Dreams were so excited about what Kids Can Foundation is doing in bringing the Lincoln State Stars to Cooperstown that they did a feature on the Foundation. This email was sent out to over 4000 coaches around the nation!
If Kids Can!...then you can too!
It started in October 2009...An in-depth conversation between a Coach and Diamond Dreams...and over the next few months, the conversation has taken on a whole life of its own. This coach was having trouble getting his travel team to make the commitment to go to Cooperstown. Knowing the Diamond Dreams experience was too good to pass up, (especially in the inaugural year) this coach made the commitment to take an area all-star team to Cooperstown and established a charitable foundation to make it possible. The Kids Can! Foundation, (www.kidscanfoundation.org) is a non-profit entity devoted to the empowerment of youth, incorporated in the State of Illinois.
"It takes vision with a passion for youth sports and a long term commitment" stated Camille Arsenault CoFounder of Diamond Dreams at Cooperstown. Arsenault went on to say, "the leadership team that formed Kids Can! should be applauded. The families will benefit for years and quite frankly, the concept and procedures are not that difficult to put into place; it simply takes the right group of coaches and individuals. We can only hope that more coaches take such a broadbased active role for our youth that want to come to Cooperstown!"
Tony Standish, President of Kids Can! reiterated the Foundations' purpose- "It is simple- Nothing should stand in the way of great opportunity. The foundation was created to assist America's youth in living up to their full potential in the areas of education, athletics, and the arts."
Kids Can! current project is to provide funding and administration for the 10U Lincoln State Stars Softball Team to participate at Diamond Dreams at Cooperstown this summer. The foundation has already reached many of its goals for the team citing that local businesses and members of the community have embraced the foundation's commitment to youth in their neighborhood. "Children are our future. The Kids Can! Foundation appeals to area businesses and the community as we embrace the concept that, provided the opportunity, Kids indeed Can!" T.S.
Kids Can Flyer
(see flyer below or download as a .pdf)
The Kids Can Foundation is Sending the Lincoln State Stars to Cooperstown, NY - A Unique Opportunity!
Lincoln State Stars Exclusively Represent
the Community and the State of Illinois
The Lincoln State Stars is a 10 & under fast-pitch softball team, named to identify us patriotically from the State of Illinois and athletically as all-stars. Selected from the best of five travel teams, with representation from Aurora, Chicago Heights, Montgomery, Naperville, Oswego, Plainfield, Shorewood, and Yorkville, the 14-member Lincoln State Stars will represent our state in competition against teams from as far away as California, Florida, New York, Texas, and even Canada!
2010 Provides the Only Opportunity to
Inaugurate
the Diamond Dreams Experience
During the week of August 14, 2010, The Lincoln State Stars will be among the first 10 & under teams to christen the fields of Diamond Dreams Park in Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. To properly commemorate the experience, Diamond Dreams is going all out with opening and closing ceremonies that include parachutists, fireworks, and a procession of the athletes. The girls will take home rings as the newest inductees into the National Youth Hall of Fame.
Diamond Dreams Provides a Top-Notch Experience for These Young Athletes
Win or lose, the girls are assured a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Spending the week together in the Softball Village at Diamond Dreams will enable them to cultivate relationships with their teammates, their college-player chaperones, and other teams from around the nation. Such an experience will build character and help them mature as students, athletes, and fine members of our community.
Be A Partner in Supporting the Lincoln State Stars
Please share in the lives of the young ladies of the Lincoln State Stars by making a charitable contribution today! Our fundraising goal is $20,000 which includes tournament fees, the stay at Softball Village, equipment, spirit-wear, and a small travel stipend for each family. Donations can be made via PayPal or by check to the Kids Can Foundation, 2259 Keim Drive, Aurora, IL 60503.
Lincoln State Stars Roster
Jersey Number and Name
- 1 - Kendra
- 2 - Ashleigh
- 3 - Hailey
- 4 - Taylor
- 5 - Lauren A.
- 6 - Reilly Jo
- 7 - Bianca
- 8 - Sammi
- 9 - Lauren D.
- 10 - Emily
- 11 - Grace
- 12 - Danielle
- 13 - Brooklyn
- 14 - Maria