Here’s the deal: When I said the winter athletic season was my favorite season, I might have been lying—but only slightly. The spring and summer extracurricular athletic season will forever hold a special place in my heart, and might just beat out the wrestling season as my favorite.

When April hits full swing, the concession stands open up, the outfield grass is cut for the first time and the sunflower seeds begin to coat the dugout, leaving no doubt that it’s Babe Ruth Baseball season. Sure it doesn’t seem that cool to you, but this season and this sport are capable of drawing more hype than your beloved Church League Basketball. Look at them side by side and Church League almost seems like child’s play compared to the intense rivalries associated with Babe Ruth.

And for those of you out there that think the Lyons Township/Hinsdale Central rivalry is bad, you don’t know the definition of rivalry until you’ve seen an Allstar game between Brookfield Western Conference and La Grange. Sure, I’ll always hate Hinsdale, but an Allstar loss to La Grange in the District finals when I was 12 nearly ruined my childhood, especially when I had to face these kids and accept this defeat in school.

Despite the hype, I think that a lot of people who don’t play fail to realize the intensity associated with Babe Ruth Baseball. It’s not just something to do, something that takes up a couple hours twice a week; it’s a commitment—a way to live your life for the summer. There’s a common misconception that it’s not intense, but the kids take this very seriously.

Babe Ruth Baseball is an opportunity for a lot of kids, like myself, who were never good enough to make their high school team, or the most elite travel team, to express their love and passion for America’s national pastime. And I can’t think of anyone who plays in my league that would trade the opportunity for anything else.

What’s really amazing about Babe Ruth Baseball is that it’s where anyone can shine. You don’t have to be the varsity MVP and D1 commit to make a name for yourself. This is where a track runner, a football player or even a wrestler can come and enjoy playing what they truly love. And what’s most surprising is that a lot of times, the kids who don’t play high school baseball make the biggest impact and can have the greatest effect on the team. The track star might surprise you and have 30 stolen bases, or the football player might shut out the other team or the benched high school baseball player might make the best catch you’ve ever seen in the outfield in your entire life—you just don’t know what to expect.

Maybe this is just another shameless plug to boast about something that I enjoy, but I really am a huge supporter of Babe Ruth Baseball. My league in particular brings kids together, from all backgrounds and from all playing abilities and allows them to develop relationships as well as learn the game, which is something that you don’t see a lot anymore. It’s not often that you see a group of kids comprised of college athletes, Morton West athletes, Riverside Brookfield athletes, Lyons Township athletes and kids who aren’t athletes at all, working together as a team, trying to win a championship.

If you haven’t registered to play this summer, I suggest that you do before sign ups close. It’s one decision that you’ll never regret. It’s such a shame that America’s interest has shifted from baseball to football and basketball, because a lot of kids will never get to experience something like this—America’s true pastime.