LAWNCHAIR UMPIRES…read more Watching a Kane County Cougars game is a fun, affordable activity on a hot summer day. I've probably been to a dozen Cougars games in my life, most of those thanks to free tickets I won from grade school reading programs. As an adult, I've attended dollar beer night and returned years later with our two kids, both enjoyable experiences. The ballpark is easy to find on Kirk Rd in Geneva. One could make the argument that I'm double dipping, since I wrote a review for the Cougars' stadium (Northwestern Medicine Field) back in Sept '19, but does anyone honestly care? The Kane County Cougars baseball organization is a separate business listing, so SHHH! My wife and I brought our kids here for a Sunday afternoon game in July, and I'm glad we paid the $15 for premier parking so we didn't have to drag our wagon for god knows how far. Entry was easy and we set up our lawn chairs & blankets on the 1st base side near right field. For lunch, I got two tamales w/elote from a food truck parked inside. The kids loved their Dippin Dots - their first encounter with the "ice cream of the future" - and my wife got a hot dog w/fries. With the heat eclipsing 90°F, I had no problem downing several draft beers from a nearby kiosk. As we exited, a staffer handed out popsicles which was a nice treat to have on the way to our car. They have fireworks after Friday or Saturday games plus bobblehead giveaways and themed nights (Star Wars, Bark at the Park, even Bluey!) The Cougars marketing team gets an A+ when it comes to promotions. * TL;DR * Cougars games are all about family fun and chill vibes. Tickets are usually dirt cheap, and this is an independent professional league (much like the Chicago Dogs near O'Hare Airport), so it's not like any of the calls matter as much as they would in a bonafide Major League game. Also, general admission lawn seats are too far away from the action for any fans to legitimately argue balls & strikes. I definitely recommend attending a Cougars game; there's lots of things for kids to enjoy while grown-ups will appreciate the reasonably priced concessions and other low-key features of the ballpark.

The ballpark is beautiful...parking for handicapped very nice but the concessions are out of…read morecontrol overpriced and totally not necessary to be that expensive. I've been to 2 games and I noticed there are a lot of seniors that do go. A family of 4 for tickets 4 hot dogs 4 fries and 4 soft drinks will set you back close to $200. And the players absolutely suck. Not even high school equivalent. I'll save my money or go to a pro game.

Bobble head football. That is what high school players and coaches call this type of football…read morebecause most of the kids don't have the neck strength to carry the helmet. Here's some data: The 2013 Batavia Football team had 19 starters that came up through Batavia Youth Football (non contact until 7th grade), one the didn't play until his Freshman year and 2 from tri cities. Over the past 5 years, based on a platform of non contact until 13 years old, Batavia has one 5 straight undefeated conference titles, lost a total 7 games including the playoffs. 27 players went on to play college football. St Charles North and East are perennial middle of the pack teams that send very few to college football. Geneva is a bit better. The biggest stat, that we will never know, is how many potential all conference all state all american players quit football because they got discouraged or injured playing youth contact football? Learn the game, have fun, play safe, and don't be tricked into this league led by over zealous parents and obsessed coaches who think it actually matters. Most players have to be "deprogrammed" once they join the Batavia High School Football Machine. If you disagree, you must admit that 6-7 year olds in full football pads looks ridiculous and is very dangerous. Tri City football is a continual source of laughter amongst Batavia HIgh School coaches and players. It's also viewed as a poor background because they don't know the offensive and defensive schemes, and have no relationship with other players or coaches. BYF is, by a country mile, the better, more effective, safe way to begin a football career. Just be prepared to leave your chair and cheer at home. They don't want parents at the games. After all, it's not about parents is it? Update: November 13 2017. Batavia football team is playing in the semifinals. They are 11-1 and ranked 3rd in 7A and 8th in the state. Watching my son play with the kids he played with in 1st grade in BYF. The hit and run and block like animals. They all played in BYF and never put on a pad until 7th grade. 6 going to go D-1 another 3 D-2 and 4 D-3 college football offers. A special time and there success is based in the brotherhood they developed playing backyard football with BYF. If you want the best football experience possible for you son, get in the program and forgo the ridiculousness that is child contact football. State champs again

My son started with the Chargers in 6th grade and played through 8th grade. He went on to play all…read more4 yrs as a kicker with STC East HS. We have the best memories and experience with the Chargers. The coaches were just amazing. I wish his high school coaching could have been as supportive as the men who ran the Chargers organization. I hope the organization continues in its success. The majority of boys who came through the Chargers ending up as starters at the high school level.

This club seems to be the best kept secret in the Fox Valley as they spend all their time on making…read morethings better for the kids vs being marketing centric. I was referred by a friend after becoming frustrated with another local club. We switched to Rush FV about two years ago and have not looked back. I've really seen my kid develop her soccer skills and some great relationships since joining. Coach Ann and Surina are outstanding in their dedication to these kids.

Both of our kids attend CSA, and we've seen great progress in each of them. Their technical skills,…read moregame awareness, and overall confidence have improved a lot since joining. What we appreciate most is how much the coaches care about every player. They take the time to support each child and create a positive, motivating environment. It's been a great experience for our family, and we're really happy to be part of CSA.

CSA has been a fantastic experience for our family. Great balance of quality coaching, positive…read moreculture, and affordability. Most importantly, our kids are growing both on and off the field. Highly recommend.

This is a lot of fun for not a lot of money! If major league games are too costly or too far to go,…read moreconsider your hometown team! The stadium is a manageable size so it's not far to walk from your car to your seat (or your seat to food). Fun theme nights (we went on Star Wars Night). Fireworks including a couple of Mega fireworks shows per year! Not to mention an enjoyable game! The one we saw was very close! Food here was also very good, from the Atomic Pork Chop sandwich to the Fritosaurus Walking Taco to Ben & Jerry's in a mini Cougars helmet! Overall, a fun summer night out in the burbs for sports fans!

Family friendly fun at value pricing is still available here. We saw Haley Mae Campbell in the…read moreMusic Garden prior to the ballgame. Tyler performed balancing tricks on the infield along with audience participation games between innings. The Cougars lost (not affiliated with MLB anymore) but the fireworks post game were great. Food is mediocre and you have to pay $10 to park. Tip: Thirsty Thursday is $2 beers, hot dogs and soft drinks. Buy your tickets online in advance on holidays like Valentine's day and St Patrick's day for great ticket package prices.

High level training from former top tier collegiate and professional players for all ages. One stop…read moreshop for learning the game and helping kids achieve their personal and baseball related goals. Tons of cutting edge technology and approaches and staff that just loves what they do.

I can't say enough great things about this place! The staff is top notch! They love the sport of…read morebaseball and they teach all kids the sport of baseball, not just boys! Please don't waste your money at the DuPage training academy - you're much better off here at Force Elite!