One of the more unusual requests for a ball field rental at the Naperville Park District came last week from a Little League team looking for a place to practice. The Dubai Falcons flew over 8,000 miles to play baseball in Naperville and needed a place to warm up before the upcoming tournaments. Program Manager Gary Foiles was happy to be able to accommodate the team at the Little League Field at Nike Sports Complex.

The Dubai Falcons’ head coach, Bill Hickey, said that the team was looking for a chance to play in a few baseball tournaments in the United States, as tournaments in Dubai are few and far between. “The kids need game experience,” said Coach Hickey. The Falcons will stay two weeks in Naperville, and will participate in the West Chicago Keppler Classic and the Naperville Firecracker Classic. This is what their full schedule looks like:

• Fri., June 24 – practice at Nike Sports Complex, 288 W. Diehl Rd.
• Sat., June 25 –West Chicago Keppler Classic in West Chicago
• Tues. – Thurs., June 28-30, 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon – practice at Nike Sports Complex,
             288 W. Diehl Rd.
• July 1 –4 – Naperville Firecracker Classic at Frontier Sports Complex, 3415 Book Rd.
• July 7-8 - practice at Nike Sports Complex, 288 W. Diehl Rd.

Additionally, they will visit Naperville’s Centennial Beach and do some sightseeing in Chicago.

“Everyone is really enjoying their stay,” said Coach Hickey. “The Naperville community has been very welcoming and we are very fortunate that we selected it as our destination to play baseball. “

Dubai Falcons at Nike Sports Complex                                                                            

Dubai Falcons' family and friends

Beth Kepner traveled from Dubai with her 12-year-old son, Mike, one of the 11 Falcons players. She said that 6 of the kids on the team have American passports, 3 are Canadian, 1 is from the UK, and 1 is from Indonesia. “In Dubai, 85% of the population is not local; it’s like the United Nations,” said Kepner. “There are people from Africa, Asia, North America, and from all over the world.”

The baseball season in Dubai starts in November and goes through March, to take advantage of the cooler weather. “Right now, it’s 110 degrees in Dubai,” said Beth Kepner. “The boys are happy to be here in the cool air.”  To prepare for this summer’s tournaments, the Falcons have been practicing in Dubai in the evening, under lights powered by a generator.

Another Falcons coach, Phil Garrison, also brought his son, Braden, who plays third base. Originally from Kansas, and then Texas, Garrison has lived in Dubai for the past 17 years. “I really like Naperville. It has lots of neat spots,” he said. “The fields at Nike are wonderful. They’ve done a good job maintaining them. It’s a great place to play.”

When Beth Kepner heard that there soon will be a cricket pitch at the Nike Expansion, she said that the kids in Dubai like cricket. “It requires some coaching to transition back and forth between cricket and baseball, but the kids can play both sports,” said Kepner. “Baseball has improved the boys’ cricket playing,” she said.

Many of the Falcons players also participate in other sports, including volleyball, basketball, soccer, and track.

The baseball program continues to grow in Dubai.  Little League spans from T-Ball to the Majors, through age 16.  About 500 kids are involved, including girls who play softball. Coach Garrison said, “Being able to play baseball in Dubai gives the kids a little piece of America.”
   

 Coach Hickey hits to the outfield during practice at Nike Sports Complex

Falcons' pitcher in action