“Playing baseball for a higher purpose…for the right reasons and the right way” is one of the mottos of the Lake Erie Monarchs, a collegiate summer baseball team composed of players of the Catholic faith. Playing in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, the Monarchs are entering their eleventh season bringing together college players with a passion for both baseball and faith.
Located in Toledo, Ohio, the 29-man roster of the Monarchs consists primarily of college freshmen and sophomores from around the country. According to Assistant General Manager David Dornbos, a 1980 Notre Dame graduate with a degree in finance, the team seeks players “driven by faith, virtue and the pursuit of truth, excellence and dreams on and off the baseball diamond.”
Furthermore, Dornbos said that players should be men of character who also possess “strong academics, value, respect and [appreciation for] the importance of the Catholic, Christian faith, advanced baseball skills with a respectable opportunity of playing professional baseball, (and an) affinity for community service work.”
Consisting of players from colleges across the country, the 2011 Monarchs roster includes Notre Dame’s sophomore catcher Ricky Palmer and freshman infielder Chris Reinhart. The Monarchs are no strangers to Major League Baseball (MLB), having sent 19 players to MLB teams over the last three seasons. Current MLB players who played for the Monarchs include outfielders Mitch Maijer of the Kansas City Royals and Brad Snyder of the Chicago Cubs.
Jim DeSana, general manager of the Monarchs, has led the team for 10 years. Under his leadership, the Monarchs have been one of the most successful college programs in the Midwest. He has led them to the championship of the Lakes Summer Collegiate League in 1999, as well as a third-place national finish in the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series in 2000.
In order to further the Catholic mission of the organization, the Monarchs are associated with the nonprofit organization Catholic Baseball Players for Christ, Inc. According to the mission statement of the Monarchs, the organization was created to “exercise an important mission of evangelization through America’s pastime – witnessing to the truth of the Gospel and pointing to Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
The team’s mission statement also explains that the Monarchs seek to create an environment that promotes both the progression of baseball skills and growth of the Catholic faith for its players. The goals of the team include helping the players “nurture, deepen and strengthen their faith and relationship with Christ; grow and mature as a person – intellectually, emotionally, physically and spiritually; enhance their skill sets as a baseball player and showcase their talent and ability in front of Major League Baseball scouts; and seek out community service activities and initiatives – especially with a youth, education or baseball connection.”
After a 9-game preseason road trip through Alaska, the Monarchs play their regular season through June and July. After the regular season, they will travel to Johnston, Pennsylvania, for the All American Amateur Baseball Association (AAABA) World Series.
However, baseball is not all the Monarchs have planned for the summer. In addition to playing, the team also seeks to give back to the community through service. Throughout the season, the team plans to participate in a number of service projects, many of which work with children. To learn more about the Lake Erie Monarchs, and to follow their progress throughout the season, check out www.lakeeriemonarchs.com.
Mike Johnson had a nice Easter break frolfing with friends. He is wondering where the semester went, and can be contacted at mjohns32@nd.edu.
