FishHawk Youth Baseball holds tryouts and chooses 12 boys who will represent the organization in a 12U tournament in Cooperstown, New York. They are set to compete in the weeklong tournament, starting July 18, 2026.
The FishHawk Youth Baseball League Cooperstown team needs to raise funds in order to attend the tournament. The group of boys have mostly played baseball together their whole lives. The parents, coaches and players have several fundraising events that they put together for the rest of this year and the beginning of next year to help earn money for tournament fees, travel and hotels. The team needs to raise about $50,000 to cover the cost of the trip. They are also participating in several community service events.
“I love playing with my team, and I look forward to competing in New York,” said Liam ‘Turtle’ Canida.
On Wednesday, November 26, the Wolverines will be volunteering at Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa. They are also working on a date for a Big-Little Baseball Bash, where the players will pair with members of the Newsome High School baseball team for a fundraising game to benefit both teams. Other events include Chipotle Spirit Night on Tuesday, November 18; Dave & Buster’s Spirit Night on January 15, 2026, and Bullfrog Bingo on February 2, 2026.
Head Coach Adam Bantner has been coaching for about 10 years now, but it is his first season coaching the Cooperstown team.
“They are a great group of kids to coach,” said Bantner. “They are all very teachable, coachable, fun–loving, competitive kids. It’s just been a joy.”
The team’s season started in September, and they are working on building a full tournament schedule. The team practices every Wednesday and on Sundays when they don’t have a tournament, and they participate in tournaments on various weekends.
If you want to make a donation to the team, you can Venmo money to @Fishhawk_Cooperstown. Any donation checks should be made payable to FishHawk Youth Baseball, with “2026 Cooperstown” in the memo line, and mailed to 5668 FishHawk Crossing Blvd., Suite 344, Lithia, FL 33547. The league is a 501(c)(3) organization.
“We appreciate the community and their support of our team to help the boys have an experience of a lifetime,” said Bantner.
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