Family Tides
At the South Jersey Field of Dreams, the stands are packed with cheering family members and the dugouts filled with excited players, eager to be back for another season.
Season openers are always special, but the first of the year — with Miss New Jersey Belle Nicholas taking the mound to sing the national anthem — has the entire complex buzzing with excitement. Designed to give children and adults with intellectual, developmental and/or physical disabilities a place to play baseball, South Jersey Field of Dreams is as meaningful as it is lively.
But for one of the Absecon-based field’s founders, Larry McCarty, opening night caps a marathon 36 hours of prep — laying fresh mulch, sprucing up the complex and getting everything ready for a new season. Much of that work is made possible by generous local donors, sponsors and plenty of helping hands.
Earlier in the evening, McCarty said he asked four new volunteers to find him at night’s end and share their takeaways, hoping for a simple response: “When can we come back again?”
It’s a response heard often.
Volunteers — young and old — are everywhere, from serving free snacks at the concession stand to announcing, coaching and helping players hit and run the bases. Many share a similar story: They came once and couldn’t wait to return.
Coach Michael Miller, who has been volunteering for 20 years, is no exception.
“I came out with a group to volunteer, and I love baseball, and it was the most fun I had,” Miller said. “I just kept showing up, and they had me coach. Then I came back, and I’ve been on the board for about 13 years now.”
Miss New Jersey also isn’t a stranger to the field.
“It’s my second time this year, so I’m happy to be back,” said Nicholas. “I’ve seen all the great work that has been done here for years, and I’m really happy to be a part of it.”
Established in 2003, the South Jersey Field of Dreams was born from an idea Chairman Barry Hackett’s wife brought home after reading a magazine article about The Miracle League in Atlanta, Georgia. The interest was also personal: their grandson, Jacob Hackett, has cerebral palsy, and they had hoped to transform a then-mostly empty lot into a place where children with disabilities could play baseball.
Two decades later, their grandson Jacob Hackett is still a player and a dedicated volunteer, and he’s passionate about keeping the mission going.
“My whole goal here was to carry this on, because I don’t want this to go away,” said Jacob Hackett, who assists with the organization’s publicity and outreach. “Every year we average between 25 and 50 new kids.”
The program serves more than 200 players from 33 cities across seven counties in the southern third of the state and continues to grow. This year alone, Jacob Hackett notes they have 51 new registrants.
“It’s giving kids a chance to be kids,” he said.
The Harbor Hawks, a local travel youth baseball team, were also on the field for opening night, helping players and cheering them on.
“I have volunteered in the past,” said Dana Seaver, who started the Harbor Hawks as a nonprofit team with her husband in 2024. She noted that Jacob Hackett, a former student of hers, helped spark the team’s involvement.
“They were excited. We told them what Field of Dreams was all about — that it provides baseball opportunities to other kids — and they loved it,” she said. “It’s a bigger world out there than baseball, and we want to expose them to it. If you can help others and provide opportunities, it’s important they see that.”
For other volunteers, like pitcher Zach Hammond, Jacob Hackett was also their entry point — and he’s been hooked ever since. Five years later, he said he tries to encourage others to volunteer.
“I try to get as many people as I can to check it out,” Hammond said. “I usually just say, ‘Do you want to see the best thing ever?’”
Over the years, longtime volunteers like Miller have watched the complex grow — from a field and concession stand to include a free miniature golf course and a fully accessible playground. He’s also seen players grow up on the field and continue playing into adulthood.
He said many games — not just opening night — are designed to make players and their families feel special.
“We want these kids to feel like they’re major leaguers,” Miller said. “Every week, we have someone singing the anthem. We’ve had mascots from professional teams come out and run the bases.”
Hammond said the impact extends beyond the field. For some parents, it’s the first time they’ve been able to sit back and watch their child participate in an organized sport.
“For the parents, seeing their kids out here is super important,” Hammond said. “Also, selfishly, it makes you feel good.”
Miller agreed.
“They’ve got a lot going on in their lives, but the parents get a chance to sit there and just be fans,” Miller said.
For younger volunteers, Miller noted the experience can be eye-opening.
“They may not look exactly like you or play exactly like you, but they love the game the same way,” Miller said.
In the infield, first-time volunteer and high school student Lillian Porreca makes up secret handshakes with her assigned buddy. When she steps off the field, she’s all smiles — echoing exactly what McCarty hopes to hear: “I can’t wait to come back.”
For more information about the South Jersey Field of Dreams or to learn how to volunteer, visit southjerseyfieldofdreams.com.
