Thibodaux team playing in Cooperstown

E.D. White head baseball coach Shane Trosclair always dreamed of going to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., and experiencing baseball’s history.

This weekend, he’ll have his chance. Only he will have a group of 12 year olds with him.

Trosclair coaches the Louisiana Diamond Jaxx, a Thibodaux-based youth travel team playing in this week’s eight-game, round-robin tournament.

Finally landing the opportunity to tour baseball’s shrine to greatness is something Trosclair relishes. “It started in November when Rusty Lassere, who manages the team, approached me at my house about coaching a group of 12 year olds for the season,” the coach said. “We talked about going to Cooperstown. I always wanted to go. I’ve never been so, of course, I accepted.”

In all, 96 teams from across the country will be competing in the tournament. The Diamond Jaxx begin play on the July 4th holiday.

The registration price and total cost of the trip is hefty, but well worth the experience, Trosclair said.

“It costs no less than $10,000 to go up there and play for the week,” he said. “We had been talking about it for a while. We sent our money in early because that is the only way to guarantee that the team will go.”

On the bright side, admission to the Cooperstown museum for registered teams is free. All coaches and players in team uniforms are admitted free of charge throughout the week they are playing, Trosclair said.

“I’m sure the kids will go in there and run through it,” the coach predicted. “Me, personally, being a baseball guy, I want to spend some time and study up.”

The Diamond Jaxx had a successful year locally, finishing first in the state tournament at the Triple A level. The team placed fifth at the “Big League Dreams” tournament in Texas against that state’s top teams.

But regardless of the week’s results, Trosclair hopes his team has an experience the players will remember for the rest of their lives.

“It’ll be fun,” he said. “Both myself and the kids are really looking forward to it.”