Frog Fandom Is A Family Lifestyle:  Adam Bressler

Living in Everett and less than 5 minutes away from Funko Field, who wouldn’t like going to baseball games, being that close to a professional baseball stadium? To me, Mariners baseball is all about the farm and when the stadium lights of Funko Field are on (baseball or not) my son gets excited, and not going to lie, I do too. Because I’m a “Frogling”. One who is obsessed with AquaSox baseball.

Growing up I always dreamed of being a season ticket holder for the Mariners, so this time around I want to take full advantage of the experience for my kids. You feel more a part of the team when you are there! I want them to grow up and learn through baseball. I’m a believer that Minor League Baseball is what professional baseball envisioned itself over a century ago. Close and personal with the players. It's spring training every day over here!

I’ve been taking my family and coming to games since the 2017 season and have consistently been going to games since the 2018 season. We even plan our lives around the away games too, by carefully planning trips around the Pacific Northwest. We started going to AquaSox games due to not being able to commute to Seattle for Mariners games due to traffic. Plus, the prices are hard to deal with as a growing family. I mean, I still do go to Mariners games when the Frogs aren’t in town! But I can’t go all in.

So, with my family up here in Everett, it just makes sense to go in on the AquaSox. Now sometimes on Funko Fridays and Sundays my wife (Kelsey) and 9-month-old son (Baker) tag along. Having the whole family there makes it a little extra special. Usually, during those games, we sit with Freddy Funko on the Home Run porch. My father also attends games at Funko Field as he is a Silver Slugger member. We sit with him during those Wednesday Silver Slugger home games. It's special since all three generations get to sit together and watch the game. I have to admit those Silver Sluggers are pretty good hecklers too!

Since 2018, while watching and listening to all games (when I can). I’m veraciously recording and tweeting updates of Frogs scores/plays in the field from my phone or tablet. You can find me on social media tweeting about the Frogs with memes, GIFS, and videos all season long! Don’t plan to stop anytime soon. I know others enjoy it, any AquaSox fan would! Such as syncing up AquaSox radio when the video is being broadcasted on MiLB.TV and sharing those video highlights with the excellent play-by-play calls from Pat Dillon and Steve Willits on the KRKO broadcast.

I mentioned my 5-year-old son Jack gets excited when he sees Funko Field (game day or not). We have definitely created a routine when we show up. First things first, get the promo item (if there is a promo) then play catch on the grass, then get autographs. It can be anything from programs to baseball cards, and balls, he even once suggested that his brother's head should be signed with a sharpie by Victor Labrada. Just recently Jack got over his fears and asked for an autograph from Alberto Rodriguez and Trent Tingelstad. His first two all on his own.

At the time he wanted to hold a sharpie pen, and I said he could only hold one if he asks for autographs. So, two minutes later he asks for the ball and pen, so HE could do it. But prior to that he was happy just giving the players (even the other team) high-fives when they come out of the clubhouse and onto Funko Field. He will stand there and call out the players’ names as they come down the stairs, well before anyone else would realize who they are, sometimes jumping in excitement as he quickly yells out their names. Consistently on the ride home, I will hear from the back seat, “I gave Dariel Gomez a high five!”

It seriously took about two seasons for him to warm up to Webbly. He loved mascots but was scared of them. He refused to be the Playball Kid when asked. Yet he could say “Play ball” but was too shy to say it into a microphone, let alone three feet away from Webbly. The kid was on edge, but his cousins, Aubree and Gracie, came to a game earlier this year and the three of them were the Playball Kids. So, on that day we had the courage with the help from them at his side to say “Play Ball”. Something that he couldn’t muster before. Eventually, Jack and Webbly became really good friends. Now he can’t go to the game without at least three or four high-fives and/or fist bumps.

It was not only Webbly and the other mascots who Jack was looking forward to seeing at Funko Field, but Steve Willits and the players too. When Jack started to put words together, he would describe Steve as “not a baseball player, but he rolls dice and tosses pizza boxes on the field”. Now isn’t that the most accurate kid statement?

When it’s quiet during the game, Jack is the one who is breaking the silence out there. He also knows all the players' names and their walk-up songs. He usually beats Tall Tom on the public address. Even yelling “Go Justin LADY”, yes, we are still working on pronouncing LAVEY correctly.

Funko Field is special because of the friendships my family has made at the stadium. Minor league baseball is all about community. People here do care for one another. I see it in how my son interacts with fellow fans, staff, and players. Here’s to more years ahead of growing and bonding as a community at Funko Field.

Go Frogs!
Adam Bressler