I have attended the New York Yankees’ Women’s Fantasy Camp for the past seven years. One hundred twenty women of all ages become Yankees for a few days. We stay in the same hotel, play baseball, have meals together and spend time in the training room when we get hurt. Each year, new friendships are formed, and old ones maintained. We learn to work together as a team, to win as a team or lose as a team.
Growing up, playing softball was fun but nothing compared to playing baseball on the same field as Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Mickey Rivers. We are truly living the dream. We are coached by our idols, we listen to stories of their time on the Yankees, the friendships they made with their teammates and their life as a baseball player in general. We are treated like professional Yankee baseball players. We receive our own locker with our name on it, a Yankee uniform, and they even launder our dirty uniform after the games!
Putting on the pinstripes and stepping into the dugout and then onto Steinbrenner Field is a dream come true. Having breakfast with my idol Bucky Dent was amazing! Just sitting there talking like old friends. During a game this year, Nick Swisher gave me a high five and said: “Nice Hit!” when I whacked the ball down the right field line! That was a moment I will never forget! I can’t wait to go back and be with my Yankee Family again in January 2020!
