Glens Falls Dragons Make Improvements to East Field, And are in Need of Host Families
As the gray days of early spring give way to the pleasant sunshine of summer, East Field is prepping for the return of the “Boys of Summer”… The 2023 Glens Falls Dragon season is approaching, and in a handful of weeks, collegiate players from around the area will come and join the Dragons organization to continue playing the game they love! The Glens Falls Dragons organization is building towards the future with the help and support of the City of Glens Falls.
The Dragons and the City of Glens Falls are working together to make improvements to East Field; the focus of the organization, with the City of Glens Falls’ support, is to add 459 Stadium seats on a concrete base behind home plate. They would also like to replace the first-base-side old lumber bleachers with new, updated wooden seating, while keeping the price of attending a family night out as low as possible… An important part of keeping the price of attendance low is the “Host a Dragon” program, which is still in need of host families for the 2023 season.
Ben Bernard is the owner of the Glens Falls Dragons – he has owned the team since 2015, and his history with East Field stretches back to 1980, when East Field was home to the White Sox AA minor league baseball team… Bernard came back to East Field over forty years later because he wanted to help out: “Now, we are trying to get the ballpark fixed up, it’s 44 years old. The City of Glens Falls owns the field and has kept it going. A few years ago, they installed the LED lights, which was a huge improvement because the old lights were so costly, and by putting new lights in, that gave a new life to the ballpark,” Bernard said; most of the games at East Field are night games.
Ben Bernard -owner, and Mark Rogers – assistant to baseball operations, are looking to take the Dragons into the future – their goals are to improve the fan experience, increase community support, and keep the prices reasonable for families. Rogers has been instrumental in partnering with local businesses and creating marketing opportunities for the team… With more corporate sponsorship, Bernard and Rogers can keep prices down.
The affordability of a night out at East Field watching the Dragons is important to Bernard: ”Our price is $5.00 to get in, and $3.00 for kids… I have kept that price for seven years” Bernard proudly remarked. Mark Rogers added, “It’s a good family value, especially because parking is free… A family of four can have a pretty good night for low costs.”
East Field has a long history of minor league and collegiate baseball – it’s been an integral point for players who had tremendous success, like hall of fame pitcher John Smoltz, or Ron Kittle who was the AL Rookie of the Year on the “Playing Ugly” Chicago White Sox… The magic of East Field is that it holds the last of the players’ “playing” memories as their careers dwindle down to their final days – East Field becomes a cherished memory as the last dusting of clay is clapped off of a player’s cleats. This gives special meaning to each and every game that is played at East Field, and reinforces the importance of what the Dragons organization is there to do – to give college kids an opportunity to play, and embrace their love of the game.
East Field and the Glens Falls Dragons give players more time on the field, help develop players, and involve the community in a unique and special way – each year, the Glens Falls Dragons call on the community to open their homes to the players. The “Host a Dragon” program helps the organization host the players during their two-month stay, during which they play almost 50 games! The “Host a Dragon” program over the years has been a successful way for the Glens Falls Dragons to attract the most competitive ball players, and substantially reduce the cost to players and fans alike.
However, since the COVID pandemic, host family participation has dwindled… This has changed the way that the Dragons recruit: “One of our biggest problems since COVID has been host families. Our host family coordinator is Victoria Ferguson… She has really been trying to find places and people. With fewer host families, we are recruiting more kids just from this area – the Saratoga, Albany region, and around here. The kids that do come up from down south play all year round, and that makes a difference, it makes the team more competitive… However, the upside is that as we have more and more kids just from this region, and it gives them a chance to play,” Bernard said. As much as expanding the recruitment makes the team more competitive, Bernard can appreciate that The Glens Falls Dragons’ main focus is on player development.
The Glens Falls Dragons want to keep the wonder and the spirit of baseball alive… The true American sport has always captured the imagination, inspired a longing for a simpler time, and conjured up idyllic summertime childhood memories. Baseball takes the imagination to a time and place when there were long catches in the yard as the sun was setting… It captures the excitement as the bat hits the ball and the player races towards the bag! If you listen closely, you can hear a ball hitting the glove and the fans collectively cheering… Baseball and all its intangibles holds a place in peoples’ hearts as inexplicable as it is wise.
Cooper the Dragon is the Glens Falls Dragons’ Mascot, and he embodies the spirit of baseball! He’s busy all summer long welcoming kids to the ballpark, and in his free time, he guards Cooper’s Cave, and throws out all of the baseballs that roll in.
The Glens Falls Dragons have 23 home games, and a total of 46 games played in two months… Their first home game will be on Friday, June 2nd, 2023.
The City of Glens Falls, Ben Bernard and Mark Rogers and our friend Cooper are all working together to keep the love of baseball alive in Glens Falls. The focus of the organization, along with the City of Glens Falls, is to make substantial improvements to the stadium; the addition of the 459 stadium seats on a concrete base behind home plate and replacing the first base side old lumber bleachers with new updated wood seating is a considerable investment in the organization.
Please come and support the boys as they take the field this summer, or invite a player to stay in your home… It will make a big difference to you, the players, and the Glens Falls Dragons organization.
For more information, visit GlensFallsDragons.com