I walked on a field of my dreams

On Wednesday, July 3, I went to Citi Field with my mom, my grandpa, and my Uncle Ian. We were there to take a VIP tour of the stadium and I was very excited to go.

     When we got to Citi Field, I was amazed by how big the sign was! We went inside the building and waited for our tour guides, Carly and Matt. Once they arrived, we were told that we were going to head out to the field. I was as excited as a kid opening a present on his birthday. When we stepped out onto the field, I immediately compared it with the baseball field that I usually play on. The outfield was a lot bigger and the bases were farther apart from each other. The turf was as green as grass on a sunny day. Carly and Matt took some pictures of us next to the field, which was really awesome.

    After checking out the field, we went inside to learn about some Mets history. We looked at all of the team pictures and I noticed that David Wright was always in the same spot in every picture each year. We saw many murals painted on the walls of some famous players with inspirational quotes. My favorite quote was from Jackie Robinson. It said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” This means that what we do for others is what is most important. While we were inside, we walked along a strip of flooring that the players walk on each time they enter and exit the field. The flooring has traction for the players’ cleats so that they don’t slip. It was so cool to walk along the same floor that Jacob deGrom walks on because he is my favorite player!

          After we finished up inside, Carly and Matt brought us to the dugout. This was really fun because I got to stand up and lean over the railing just like the players do during the games. There were TV monitors in the dugout so the players and coaches can see everything that is happening on the field and in the bullpen. We were able to take some pictures in the dugout as well. Some other places on the tour included visiting the suites, getting on the warning track on the field, visiting the bullpens, clubhouse, conference room and press box. Tours are Wednesdays and Fridays, beginning at 11 a.m. and they last about an hour. There are also game day tours. If batting practice is going on you can watch from a designated section in the seating bowl on the field level.

          It was an extraordinary day that I will never forget. It was amazing to tour Citi Field while it was empty and quiet! I am really looking forward to going back to see some Mets games this season. Let’s Go, Mets! For more information: mlb.com/mets/ballpark/tours