PLAY BALL!

With summer in full swing, the Vermont Lake Monsters baseball team is looking forward to a festive and competitive season.

Previously a minor league team linked to the Oakland Athletics, the Monsters saw big changes in 0 0. Rebounding off half-filled bleachers due to OV -19 capacity measures and a restructuring among Minor League Baseball that saw 42 teams dropped, the future of the Monsters was uncertain going into 0 1. To save the franchise and keep the team in Burlington, founder of RockFence Capital and veteran baseball impresario Chris English purchased it.

From there, the team joined the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) and welcomed new head coach Pete Wilk. With just a month and a half to relaunch at the start of the 0 1 season, the team was short on players, time, and resources, yet

Left: bootstrapped their way through the ranks to solidify their talent in the FCBL with a championship win.

“It was pretty magical,” said C. J. Knudsen, senior vice president of the Vermont Lake Monsters. “Everyone was really excited, and the community is ultimately the one that won.”

The FCBL has eight teams, four in Massachusetts, two in Connecticut, and one each in New Hampshire and Vermont. Players come from around the country for a 64game summer season and are hosted by local families. With scouts following and watching the players, the F B offers the opportunity for high-level play and the potential to get drafted to the big league.

“There are a ton of scouts following and watching the players perform,” said C. J. “This season gets players used to playing pro baseball and gets the body acclimated to playing a lot of games.”

The Vermont Lake Monsters 2023 team roster has close to 40 players from schools like Harvard, Columbia, and Pepperdine. The recruiting is done by head coach Wilk and Director of Baseball Operations Morgan Brown, who draw on their close relationships with schools across the country.

“The most important thing we look for is the uality of people off the field first, . . said of the recruiting process. “If they can play baseball, that’s great.”

C. J. noted they are having to turn players away as the caliber of play, the strength of the team, and the quality of summer life in Burlington become more widely recognized.

“The roster has been full and set since last September,” he said. “Word is out that Burlington is the place to be and play for the summer.”

The players took to the field with a home opener on May 24. Centennial Field hosted its first baseball game in 190 and today serves as the home field for the Vermont ake Monsters. t seats up to , 15 spectators and regularly fills up during the Monsters’ summer season with excited fans eager to support the young players.

“The energy in the park is so great, you can almost taste it,” said C. J. “It’s magical, and we’re so lucky to be so supported.” e really encourage people to come if they ve never been or haven t been in a while, . said. t s a great, affordable night out.

Current renovations to the ballpark include four new field bo seats going in, and there are no shortage of promotions all summer long to get people out to en oy a game. Four post-game firework shows are slated for 0 3, along with three ot og ysteria nights, which feature 5 cent hot dogs and sell close to 10,000 dogs over the course of one game. On ednesdays, kids eat free, and on undays, kids receive a free baseball to play catch on the field after the game. Tuesday hosts senior night with half off reserved tickets along with a free soft drink.

ENTERTAINMENT FOR EVERYONE ith tickets starting at for kids, 7 for seniors, 9 for adults, and 10 for reserved