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Living a big dream
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Jack Shaw practices his swing at the Roche Memorial Baseball Training Facility Wednesday in Greeley. Shaw won the opportunity to train with the Colorado Rockies during spring training this year as part of their fantasy camp.
BRET HARTMAN / bhartman@greeleytribune.com
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Matt Schuman, (Bio) mschuman@greeleytribune.com
October 23, 2006
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Greeley's Jack Shaw may be living in a fantasy world, but that's perfectly fine with him.
The former Greeley West High School basketball and tennis player recently found out that he won the experience of a lifetime -- the chance to participate in the Colorado Rockies fantasy baseball camp during spring training this year in Tucson.
Only one problem. Shaw, 34, has never played organized baseball. In fact, the last time he picked up a bat in a game was playing t-ball as a youngster.
He won the trip as part of a program with Frontier Airlines where customers can use their frequent flyer miles to bid auction style for goods or special experiences the airline put together. One of those was the fantasy camp Shaw bid on.
It is all part of Shaw's philosophy that it is better to spend money on experiences in life than material goods.
"You can accumulate stuff and you kind of forget about that," Shaw said. "But if you have a chance to get a real unique experience, that is hard to pass up. So I feel pretty lucky."
Even so, choosing a baseball camp shocked his family and friends.
His wife, Aimee Shirk, admits being surprised that Shaw had any interest in the camp since the only time she remembered him being interested in baseball was when the couple was living in Maine and became fans of the Boston Red Sox the year they won the World Series.
"He told me that (he won the trip) and I said 'do you even like baseball?" Shirk said.
His longtime friend, Tracy Rogers, 39, could only laugh about it when he heard the news.
"I wish I could be there to watch him embarrass himself," Rogers joked. "It was more like 'You have got to be kidding me. You did what?'"
Of course, it really didn't shock either of them that Shaw would try a new adventure. Shirk said that when the couple was living on the East Coast, Shaw got into wind surfing and even attempted kite surfing while on a trip to Aruba.
Rogers remembers the time the two took a road trip in the middle of the summer to Rhode Island in a Four Runner with no air conditioning. They made it their mission to find batting cages everywhere they could as they traveled across the U.S.
"He's a pretty outgoing guy," Rogers said. "Jack has never shied away from doing anything different or hard or challenging. So him doing it actually doesn't surprise me."
Shaw said he is trying to give himself a "crash course" in baseball. He is spending as much time as he can practicing at the batting cages in the Patrick B. Roche Memorial Baseball Training Facility for Kids at the Youth Sports Complex.
He knows there is going to be a lot of running, so he is planning on trying to get into shape. Just maybe not right now.
"Right now I am kind of focusing on thinking of getting into shape," Shaw said. "It is all conceptual."
Besides, Shaw isn't concerned he is going to embarrass himself. For him, it is all about having fun.
"I will probably be one of the best attitudes around," Shaw said. "It is going to be all positive for me. If I strike out, whatever. If I make a botched play, that's fine." I'll have a short memory. I just want to contribute whenever possible."
His wife is confident he'll succeed.
"Jack is a really lucky guy, so with his luck he'll go and hit them out of the park and the Rockies will ask him to sign up," Shirk said.
A look at the Colorado Rockies Fantasy Camp Schedule
Saturday:
* Arrive In Tucson
* Opening Clinic
* Welcome Luncheon
* Draft Game
Sunday:
* Season Begins
* Doubleheader Action
* Special Skills Clinic
* Bull Session
Monday:
* Bull Session
* Let's Play Two
* Special Skills Clinic
* Bull Session
Tuesday:
* Morning victories lead to playoff excitement...
* Championship Game
* Camp Dinner
Wednesday:
* Go head-to-head with the pros in the Coaches Vs. Campers Game
* Awards Banquet
Thursday:
* Heading home ... relive the memories as you travel
Package Includes:
* Six days and five nights in Tucson
* Airfare and double occupancy hotel accommodations
* Authentic personalized Rockies uniform
* Camp and team photos
* Daily camp collectibles
* Official clubhouse and training staff
* Breakfast, lunches, special camp dinners and awards banquet
* Coors Field Event -- (Date TBA)
* Coors Field Clubhouse Event -- (Date TBA)
* Fantasy Camp video
* Reunion event at Coors Field in 2006
Anyone 30 or older can apply to participate in the Colorado Rockie Fantasy Camp, but space is limited. Information: Email the Rockies at fantasycamp@rockies.mlb.com.
SOURCE: colorado.rockies.mlb.com
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