Dozens of McHenry County families open their homes and hearts to children from around the country and world during the McHenry County Youth Sports Association (MCYSA) Summer International Championships.
This year, Mark and Holly Pagnotta will again share their Crystal Lake home with Brazilian baseball players. In the past, they’ve also hosted players from Japan.
"Only a few of the Japanese kids spoke English," Holly said. "It was very, very rough, but we still got along well. We figured it out."
International Event
Since 1993, the MCYSA has hosted children in a youth baseball World Series. Team Japan first came to Crystal Lake for the tournament in 1995 making it an international event.
The tournament has grown from a dozen-and-a-half local teams to more than 100 in the past few years that consist of children 11 through 15 years old.
MCYSA Treasurer Ted Groat has been active in the organization since 1997 when he hosted a player. His son, Neil, now 27, played in the tournament in 1998. “It’s a great event for the community and it’s a great cultural experience,” he said.
Groat said the MCYSA isn’t only about the game, but also about the participants learning about other cultures from the people they meet.
Hosting Players
Each host family is asked to house two players for approximately 12 days, according to Larry Freck, Home Stay program organizer.
He said host families use the opportunity to showcase the community and greater Chicago area.
Players from Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Russia, Venezuela, Aruba and Japan participate. The tournament is talking to representatives from South Korea to add players next year.
“The community members love it and we’d like more to participate,” Freck added.
Holly Pagnotta said hosting children in her home was only natural. Growing up in Buffalo, N.Y., her family hosted a girl from Belfast. The two held a lifelong relationship; she was later in the girl’s wedding as adults.
Holly’s daughter Colleen, now 20, was able to tour Europe as a member of the Blue Lake International Ensemble because people there opened their homes to her.
Holly said her husband Mark read a story about the Home Stay program and talked to her about bringing the players into their home.
“I thought, sure,” she said, “this is a way to give back. Someone did this for Colleen; we should do this for someone else.”
She added that her family also participates in the tournament. Their son Greg, a senior and a catcher at Crystal Lake South High School, played in the tournament last year.
She said hosting the boys in their home is just like adding more to the family. “You just treat them like they are your kids,” she said. “You do their laundry.”
She said the players are all really busy during the tournament so sometimes the family doesn’t spend as much time as they would like to with their guests. “The better they do in the tournament, the less we get to do,” Colleen said. “The worse they do, we get to do more.”
The Pagnottas enjoy taking their young guests to area restaurants, Chicago and Six Flags Great America.
Many players remember how they were treated and keep in touch with their host families years after they have stayed with them.
Groat said that last year, he was invited to one of the former player’s weddings and Pagnotta said she stays connected online with the players’ families.
“They love to come here,” Holly said about the kids she’s hosted. “To them, this is the place everyone should come.”
>> For more information about the Home Stay program, contact Larry Freck at
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Sidebar: MCYSA’s 2010 Season
For the 18th consecutive July, the McHenry County Youth Sports Association (MCYSA) will be hosting its summer international baseball tournament. What began as a 24-team tournament in 1993 – when MCYSA hosted its first of 15 years under the banner of Continental Amateur Baseball Association (CABA) – has now grown to three tournaments during 10 days involving 15, 13, and 11 year olds. Also, as of 2008, MCYSA changed its national affiliation and is now part of the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA).
In 2010, plans are being made to welcome between 108 to 114 teams to the Crystal Lake area. The roster includes international and U.S. teams. “[We’re welcoming teams] from coast to coast and border to border,” said Jack Sebesta, superintendent of recreation for the Crystal Lake Park District.
Lippold Park, a number of McHenry County high schools, Spoerl Park, the Crystal Ice House and Veteran Acres will also be used to accommodate all of these games.
In 2010 the players, coaches and fans that come to Crystal Lake will spend in excess of $2 million in the community. Dick Doherty and Crystal Lake Travel have been invaluable with assisting many of these players and families with their travel plans, according to Sebesta. “The Holiday Inn (tournament headquarters), Country Inn and Suites, and Super 8 are preparing to roll out their red carpets to provide the best possible experience for their guests,” he said.
The MCYSA Justin Schroeder Memorial Scholarship Program has awarded $40,000 in college assistance to local students to further their education and in excess of $120,000 has been directed to various youth sports programs, local high school programs and the local junior college over the past eight years through the MCYSA.
The dates of the 15U tournament are July 23 to August 1; the 11U tournament dates are July 23 to July 31 and the 13U tournament dates are July 28 to August 1.
>> The MCYSA schedule is available at www.mcysasports.org. For sponsorship and volunteer information, contact Ted Groat at 815-236-1979.
