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selectparent
25 Posts |
 Posted - 04/30/2011 : 06:18:18
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Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Kolesar family. Best of luck to the 11U Braves and 10U Yankees.
Georgia Select Family
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And1
66 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2011 : 13:23:27
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Coach Kirksey, Cooney, Boyer and the Yankee and Braves team of players, families, and coaches. The 10U East Cobb Longhorns are your extended family, and we will do anything and everything possible to keep Mike and the Kolesar family in our prayers and thoughts. I will personally provide the above link to all of our families so that in this small way, maybe we can provide some needed assistance to Kim and the Kolesar family. Thank you for bringing their needs to all of our attention and I know the entire travel ball community joins us in praying for this incredible man and family.
Sincerely,
Your brothers on the ECB Longhorns |
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BTO
97 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2011 : 08:49:59
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The 12U Midway Dirty Dawgs are praying for the Kolesar's. I have 4 boys myself and I am choked up typing this reply. I have been following the story through one of the Braves asst.coaches. God Bless!!
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ecball
72 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2011 : 13:01:37
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Saturday’s game was an amazing day that I will never forget and one that the Kolesar family can cherish forever. I can’t not say thank you enough to all the folks that came out in support of this family. Your support meant so much to all of us. The weather was outstanding and the Cherokee Reds organization was unbelievable. They donated the entire morning gate to go towards a bench to be placed at our home park. They had announcers at the game, had flowers for Kim and worked with us on game times so we could celebrate Mike on Saturday afternoon/evening. I don’t know how many folks came out because I tried not to look in the crowd as I would get too emotional but it got very loud when Preston and Ryan came up. Kids from other teams and neighbors made signs and the announcers made it really special for the boys.
The entire 10U Yankees team was there, parents and kids from the 10U Longhorns, 11U Raptors, Stars, Yankees, Wills Park, Hobgood Thrashers and several more teams. I know that many people from other teams would like to have attended but were playing in other tournaments. I have been so moved by the support we have received over the past week as many teams have offered to donate money after reading my post. For all the bickering and negativity that I see in youth sports, it’s great to know that there are so many kind and generous folks in the baseball community. Several folks didn’t even know the Kolesar’s but drove 50 miles just to support the family.
A couple of our parents had video taped the game from inside the fence so the family can have this moment forever. We asked the 4 year old to be the bat boy but he declined as he had more fun playing in the dirt and hanging out with his dad. The sad part is that he will never remember what a great dad he had. We asked Mike to throw out the first pitch but he didn’t want to do it in fear of falling or something worse.
Preston and Ryan played great and we won 8-1. I don’t remember too many games or scores but this one will stick forever. Preston only gave up 2 hits in 5 and 2/3 innings and Ryan did a great job catching and got a hit and drove in two runs. Mike was so proud of both of them because the boys knew what was going on and they not only held it together but excelled. The composure they played with was better than anything I could have imagined from 10 and 11 year old boys. They have their tough nights sleeping so it was great to clear their minds for 2 hours and enjoy the game of baseball. With 2 outs in the 6th, I walked out to the mound with Mike for one final time to take Preston and Ryan out together. The two boys walked off the mound with their dad to a standing ovation….Not a dry eye in the stands as the umps even got emotional. We have a couple of pictures up from the game on our website at www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=ecbbraves There is a great picture of a proud dad watching his two young boys play the game he and they love so much for the last time.
Thanks again for all of your support.... |
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BballNut
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2011 : 22:07:32
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| This is really an incredibly moving story. Kirksey, you are a class act. Thank you for making us all take time to really think about what baseball should mean to 11 year olds and their families. The Kolesar family will forever be in the thoughts and prayers of this baseball community. |
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baller
66 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2011 : 09:02:51
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| Mike, thanks for sharing this great testimony of love, friendship, and family. We are all humbled and choked up by the Kolesar's situation, and we are all encouraged by you and so many others efforts for the Kolesars. I'm sure we are all praying that God has His grace and peaceful hands on Mike and his wife and boys. |
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ecball
72 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2011 : 23:19:25
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Parents, coaches and friends - it's with a very heavy heart that I let you know that Mike passed away this evening. There are so many things I will remember about Mike but the one thing that stands out is how much he loved the game. I asked him 4 years ago to help me start this team and he was all for it. He was a tremendous coach and person.
I cannot say enough how incredible everyone in the baseball community has been in support of this family. We had a team from NC (that we have never even played) send us $100 to help pay for the bench. There was an 11U boy in FL (from a team we played 3 weeks ago) that read this board and asked his dad to call me. We had other teams come up to us last weekend and give us money. It has been incredible to say the least. Meanwhile, we had a parent (from another team) donate the bench to ECB so now we can give all the money to Kim to help pay for the funeral cost.
The support in the baseball community has frankly overwhelmed me and this family. We all love to compete but we sure come together when needed and it's great to see. Please continue to keep this family in your thoughts and prayers as they have a tough road ahead.
Thanks again,
Mike Kirksey |
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ubc venom coach
10 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2011 : 09:26:12
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Mike,
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kolesar family. |
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SSBuckeye
575 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2011 : 10:04:39
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| The entire baseball community has a heavy heart today. |
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reallycoach
64 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2011 : 15:24:04
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| The world lost a good man, father, husban, coach and friend today. Our prayers are with the Kolsar family and the ECB Braves. |
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