In December 1989, J.C. Calhoun, a local resident and past President of the Cayman Softball Association (Men’s League) decided he would prefer to put his organizational skills toward forming a youth league. Cayman’s young people had very little to do during the summer months and at the time misbehaviour in schools and juvenile crime were on the increase. It was hoped that the right kind of youth program might help. The basic premise was to design a Summer sports program with an athletic range that was appropriate for both boys and girls while emphasizing participation, teamwork, and good sportsmanship, as opposed to cut-throat competition. Softball was chosen as the appropriate game. Our league was going to be slow pitch softball played by both boys and girls on a co-ed basis. Leagues of separate sexes would not work due to logistics (lack of playing fields, coaches, sponsors and umpires). We also did not want to eliminate girls. They had even fewer local program than the boys and those we had were enthusiastic and deserved a spot in theprogram. Due to logistics we were forced to eliminate any players oldr than 16. This was a difficult decision because frankly it is this age group which probably needs strong role models and exposure to discipline and sportsmanship the most. It is important to understand that very few people in the Cayman Islands had been directly exposed to either softball or baseball. It is not an indigenous national sport like soccer. Therefore, many people who were to become involved in the program – players and even coaches (and in some cases umpires) had to be taught the game. The enormity of that task, to begin a program with many helpers who had little inherent knowledge of the game, was staggering. As there were no Sporting Goods shops on the island which sold softball gear, we felt in order to make this program a success we would have to provide all the equipment – at least for the first few years. This meant the cost of running the program would be much higher than an equivalent program in the US or Canada. Calhoun guestimated sizes and amounts, and ordered and paid for the equipment hoping that he could find sponsors for the 16 teams he estimated we would have that first year. After much arm twisting, 14 full sponsors and several partial sponsors were found at the previously unheard cost of CI$1500 (US$1830) per annum/per team. When the dust cleared after numerous meetings and two weekends of registration, we had approximately 240 children signed up on 16 teams with 2 willing coaching volunteers for each team. That first year was surprisingly successful, ending in October at an awards day with the top 2 teams in each division receiving trophies, the coaches and sponsors receiving plaques and all participants receiving commemorative patches. The feedback from the sponsors and the community was excellent. They were particularly impressed with the organization of the program, the enthusiastic response of the children, and the quality of the uniforms and equipment. By 1996, our 7th season, we fielded 30 teams with 550 boys and girls in age from 6 to 16, and approximately 100 adults involved as coaches, umpires, and League Directors. Although 66% of our players were Caymanian, there were an astounding 20 different nationalities represented within the program. On any given summer Saturday over 1,000 people would watch and participate in the Program. The single largest factor which threatened the continued success of our Association was the absence of a suitable place to play. A program this large cannot exist on one school playfield here and there. Adding transportation factors and the splitting up of our scarce people resources to our already stretched logistics would force significant downsizing of the program. We needed a place where at least 4 games could take place simultaneously. At the time, George Hicks School field was the only suitable place. We existed by using the Hicks playing field space on a first come, year to year basis with consent to use each year rarely arriving prior to the start of the season. Our allowable usage days decreased each year as other athletic groups vied for the limited space, and even the space decreased as school classroom expansion crept onto the fields. We had no guarantee from the Government that we could continue to use this land and we had really outgrown it anyway. It was vital for the future of the league that we acquired land to develop a proper facility. The Association decided to initiate a fund raising drive with the intent of purchasing and developing a facility which would be large enough to meet all future needs of the community with regard to Baseball and Softball. We began the “Field of Dreams” fund-raising effort in 1995. Each year through raffles, auctions, discount cards and concession sales we raise approximately $100,000. After several near misses, in December 1995 we identified and purchased a 17-acre parcel of swampy land near George Hicks School at a very good price from the Wight Bowerman families. In late 1996 the Association expanded to include a Baseball section with Jeanette Totten (who had previously succeeded Calhoun as commissioner of softball) as its first commissioner. In its inaugural season we restricted involvement to a total of only 8 teams in the 11 – 12 and 13 – 16 age groups. We had to play on the Men’s Softball Association field in West Bay since the Hicks School fields could not accommodate baseball. Baseball was well received and allowed our more gifted players to hone their skills and compete in a game which may afford them the possibility of a College Scholarship. Further international competition will be possible as it will also lead to the development of a Cayman National Baseball Team. We then decided to approach several local Banks for a loan to fill our land and build 4 fields. One of them, CIBC (now renamed First Caribbean Bank), agreed in January 1998 to lend us CI$1,000,000 (US$1,250,000) which would enable us to build a 4 field complex. One of the prerequisites for the loan was a Government Grant of CI$50,000/yr for 4 years to bridge the shortfall between the fund raising income and the debt service. In July of 1997 the then Minister of Sports, Mr. McKeeva Bush, made the first Government Grant for CI$50,000 to our program. The Board of Directors determined that we could not afford the costs to water natural grass so we installed “Field Turf” (now the artificial surface of choice in the NFL) which had never before been used for a Softball/Baseball facility. This state of the art surface was recommended by Robert Totten and under his supervision with help from Donovan Ebanks, Daryn Lansdell, Public Works, inmates from the prison and many organization supporters, the fields, fencing and seating were completed in 1998 and a wooden temporary building was purchased, moved to the site, and fitted with 2 bathrooms. Later that same year Jeannette Totten formed our first all girls softball section which has grown each year. It has led to college scholarships and become the basis for our National and Olympic Teams in girls fast pitch softball. In 2000 we approached Government for help funding lights for 2 fields. A lighted facility would allow us to expand our hours of play. It would alleviate the need for the smallest children to play in the Cayman midday summer sun. It would also allow night games which would as in other countries, become a social event bringing more families out – TOGETHER. The development of this type of facility would allow us to attract teams from other nations here to play and expose the beauty and benefits of Cayman to a whole new group of people. Government came through with a grant of CI$80,000 and together with CI$80,000 from our ongoing fundraising we installed state of the art Musco lighting for all 4 fields. Terry Wuschenny’s crew, Arch Godfrey and CUC, completed this in the fall of 2001 as a result of yeoman’s volunteer work. Next on the wish list was a central facility for concessions, proper bathrooms, storage, office space, and a pressbox. Early on, several businesses had stepped up to make donations or sponsor fields on an annual basis, notably Bank of Butterfield, CIBC and Coldwell Banker. In 2001 the Dart Family Foundation stepped forward with a major grant of US$265,000 which allowed us to build the clubhouse building which was completed in February 2003. Subsequently, the Olde family made a generous donation to sponsor a Field for 7 years in memory of the late Ernest J. Olde. Upcoming projects involve the finishing of the land works, landscaping of the central facility, and the filling and grading of a bit more wetland for parking. The remaining 5 acres will all need to be cleared and filled and put to use possibly for 1 more ballfield and perhaps some other youth related activity. As of February 2003 our pre-Hurricane Ivan program boasted a Spring League of eight T-Ball teams, eight Pony teams, six 10 - 12 baseball teams, four 13 - 15 Baseball teams, three 10 – 12 girls Softball teams, and three 13 - 16 girls Softball teams. We also had a winter Co-ed Adult Softball League comprised of 12 teams and we plan to have a Fall Adult Co-ed Softball League as well. In the fall we plan to revisit the youth Co-ed slow pitch softball concept upon which the league was originally founded and have a lower cost, more casual participation league. And then on September 12, 2004, Hurricane Ivan blasted the Cayman Islands. The Little League complex incurred significant damage to the fencing, the concession building and the lights. The cost of these repairs had to come from funds on hand. Besides the damage to the facility, all our volunteer help were busy trying to rebuild their own homes and businesses. But kids keep growing, and people need recreation and fun for all kinds of health. So our 2005 season was much more casual, reduced on a competitive level. Small groups would come to the Field of Dreams for relief, to throw the ball around with a few kids. Word spread, pick-up games were organized, just t-shirts rather than full uniforms. Somehow the increased laughter and reduced competition was wonderfully appropriate for those difficult times. Fund-raising opportunities dried up for a while during that island re-building period, which set us back a good deal as this is our only regular source of income. No Raffle, Golf Tournament (golf course closed) or Auction. We had our first post-Ivan fundraiser raffle in June 2006, the Auction in March 2007, our most successful one ever. Our ball programs schedule filled back up and we introduced more games on Friday nights under a ‘Friday Night Lights’ banner, turning it into a good, big social scene for teenagers and families. A highlight of 2006 was the introduction of the Chicago White Sox Training Academy held in Cayman. Members of the White Sox organization came to Cayman to teach clinics and some of our most exceptional players have been invited to the Academy in Chicago to play in exhibition games attended by Collegiate and Professional Scouts. A generous donation of US$40,000 from an anonymous donor allowed us to get the lights back in good order. In 2007 a government survey of sports facilities revealed the Field of Dreams to be one of the most used and most loved of the islands sports facilities, by a large cross section of people. Currently: The adult co-ed program is again in full swing, the Field of Dreams also hosts the men’s and women’s league and a government department softball league. Recently, (Sept 2009) the Cayman Islands Softball Association (CISA or ‘men’s league’), hosted an international tournament with teams from the States and Central America, with a level of play, probably the best (yet) the island has ever seen. All the foreign teams were impressed the Field of Dreams. ‘We couldn’t have done it without the facility.’ said Marlon Thomas, tournament director, adding they hope to host a Caribbean tournament here in the future. A baseball tournament for 11-12 year olds to be held in October, has them practicing and the White Sox Camp in January promises to be the best yet. We are the only Caribbean island with a relationship with a professional team like that. With our own 20th season approaching, it is rewarding to see many of the youngsters who learned to play t-ball in those early years, now playing recreationally on their corporate team, or coaching a kids team themselves. And the children who come out to learn a game and some skills are reminded this ‘village’ cares about them. As a registered non-profit organization, we are tax deductible and we appreciate any help (financial or physical) that anyone is willing and able to give. Our loan is under $400,000. We continue to fund raise (next are the Auction and golf tournament in November), keep kids playing ball for free, and make available the fields to adults for recreation.