Oliver’s coaches nominated him for athlete of the year:
“Oliver plays with heart bigger than any trophy. He cares more about teammates than himself, reminding us why we fell in love with sports.”
What do they love most about playing their sport(s)?
What inspires him most isn’t wins or stats—it’s the love he has for the game and the people in it. He’s the first at practice, the last to leave, and hugs every coach and teammate like family. Oliver was asked by coaches to play up with much older athletes for tackle football and is one of the youngest on the state travel baseball team— but it’s his heart, not his age or talent, that makes him unforgettable.
Who inspires them—on or off the field—and why?
I asked Oliver this question specifically: His response, “I love playing catch with you dad. You always tell us about playing catch with Pop (my grandfather). Playing catch with you makes me feel like I get to play catch with your Pop even though I never got to meet him. I love when you tell me about Rickey Henderson & Ken Griffey, Jr. Thanks for telling me about Pop, I love him for making us both love baseball!”
What’s one moment in their athletic journey that makes you proudest?
This basketball season, with time running out, Ollie had a clear opportunity to score again. As he got to the hoop, he saw a teammate who hadn’t scored all season. Without hesitating, he passed the ball so his teammate could score at the buzzer. After, I asked him about it, he said, ‘We win as a team and I love helping everyone.’ That selfless act, prioritizing team & uplifting a teammate, shows the kind of athlete and person he’s becoming. To me his leadership and character makes me most proud.
8.29.25: OK… TOP 5!?????… and currently he’s in second place! Maybe, just maybe this is a thing? The best part though is knowing that the votes that Oliver is getting are in turn supporting cancer research.
8.21.25: Ollie made it into the TOP TEN! Thank you to everyone who has supported Ollie on his athletic journey and through this process. He loves making everyone proud and Steph and I couldn’t be prouder!!!
8.14.25: Another great accomplishment. Oliver is now made it through to the TOP 15 of his group!!!
8.7.25: So incredibly proud to announce Oliver has made it through to the TOP 20 in his group!!!
September isn’t just for pumpkin spice and flannel, today is the day the Wizarding World Calendar reminds us it’s time to head back “homel. September 1 is day the Hogwarts students return for a new term by boarding the Hogwarts Express (or occasional a flying a Ford Anglia). As J.K. Rowling has said, “Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”
(Maybe this year the typo would draw JK’s attention, then again, maybe not):
So in keeping with tradition, for the 10th year in a row I tweeted @jkrowling to get some advice for Steph and I as we “dropped the boys off” on Platform 9 3/4.
Every year September 1st rolls around, I tweet the same thing to JK Rowling “Dear @jk_rowling any advice for parents… #BackToHogwarts”.
Still no response or any advice from her, but maybe this year will be the year! If not Stephanie and I will have to hope to run into a nice Wizarding family to help us out… Molly? Arthur? Can you hear us…
Steph and I didn’t want to put pressure on our kids to read until they were ready, but I can tell you that we definitely did everything we could to get them ready. We’ve read to them since they were babies, but never pushed a formal program or system. As an elementary school principal and former primary grade (early literacy) teacher I know the importance of foundational reading skills; but, we sort of said, if they learn on their own, cool. If they take their time, also cool (caveat: I stressed at every milestone)!!!
I honestly didn’t expect much in terms of reading progress before kindergarten because or the pandemic thing. Oliver had learned his letters and some sound combinations in preschool, but nothing was really clicking right away (except how to hit a baseball a ton and how to juke out a defensive back with the football in his hand). Ollie loved reading with us, but he just wasn’t super interested in reading on his own for fun. The first months of kindergarten were the same.
Then he checked out a book on Aaron Judge. You know MVP, AL HOME RUN KING… that Aaron Judge? Oliver is a sports fanatic. He is IN LOVE WITH BASEBALL and IN LOVE WITH THE NEW YORK YANKEES. Like so many kids his age, Aaron Judge is his favorite. As soon as we read that book together… it all started coming together. He was starting to work his way through books . Don’t get me wrong he was reading Pokémon books, but this Aaron Judge book helped him turn the corner and led to more interest in short stories and even longer ones that were not focused on “Judgie” as Oliver calls him. By the second or third time through the book, he’d pretty much memorized it which lead to reading other books more fluently with more confidence.
Pretty soon he was picking up books like Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie and begging to start the Harry Potter series with Jax and I. However, each night since he first picked up Baseball Superstar’s: Aaron Judge, he has become a Superstar himself… a Superstar Reader.
Thanks “Judgie” for inspiring my little slugger to read!!!
Let the games begin! This is the first big stop on Ollie’s baseball journey: 8U travel team… LET’s Go Grizzlies!!! So excited for this kid and his friends to dominate! I’m lucky I get to coach this great group of boys!!!
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Season Ending Totals for Oliver in his first year of Travel Ball against kids MUCH older than him:
17-27 (.630 AVG); 11 RBI; 6 R
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GAME 1:
I hate losing, but I love learning. Our boys learned a lot today. I am extremely proud of how they put things together in their first Travel All-Star Game EVER. We got destroyed in our first game 10-2 against a much more experienced travel team.
Oliver went 1-2 with a single. I am so proud of Oliver for what he has taken on this season. He’s the funny guy, but he’s turning into a leader on this team!
Thanks to all the fans (families) who came out to cheer us on!
GAME 2:
Another tournament game in the books! We were much improved from our first game. Even though we lost, the boys had fun and played hard and smart!
Ollie went 2-2! Two hits with an RBI and made a great play in the field at second base! I love watching this kid play!
Also: HUGE SHOUT OUT TO JAX who literally did play by play and color commentary from the pressbox!
“Wow he was called out!??? I’m not sure what the umpire was seeing there!!!”
GAME 3
What a game tonight for the 8U Seabreeze team! Our bats finally broke out scoring 10 runs on the night. While we lost, we actually played the A team from the town that we lost to in Game 1 and played them better!!! We are making progress.
Ollie went 2-3 with 2RBIs and a run! Scoring all the way from first on a short double, it’s a cool feeling waving your own son home as you’re watching watching his face as he is flying by you at thirdbase! I FELT LIKE A TURNSTILE OUT THERE WAVING PLAYERS HOME!!!
Tonight the boys broke out the bats and broke out of their shells. The excitement from the bench was infectious and the fans kept the spirits high! (Also, another superb performance from Jax on the play-by-play!)
Superstars all around tonight!!! I really wish my grandfather was around to see this!!!
GAME 4:
Short handed, playing a much better, more experienced team, in 90* humidity (and a fourteen year old umpire whose brother was on the team we were playing)… we lost, but did hold our first lead of the season thanks to some timely hitting in the early innings.
Oliver went 2-3 with an RBI to put us up for the first time all season. His third at bat was a screaming line drive that would have been a double if not for a nice play by the third baseman. He made another great play in the field at shortstop with his partner in crime Connor. They are turning into a dominant defensive force in the middle infield (sort of).
GAME 5:
We “RUN MERCIED” our first team in the third inning yesterday! I can not tell you the screaming and jumping up and down from the kids and families when the ump called the inning! I swear, you would have thought we won the World Series! It felt good to put things together… move players along the bases and get big hits when we needed them! Though we lost the game, this was definitely a BIG step for the boys!
Oliver went 2-3 (his out came on a hard line-drive, so he is making good contact even on outs). He played catcher and came a few inches from making a great tag on a play at the plate. It was one of the most exciting games so far this year!
UPDATE GAME 6:
Yuck. We aren’t going to talk about this game or the umpire again.
Ollie went 0-1 with a hard ground out in the first and didn’t bat again.
UPDATE GAME 7:
The single most thrilling game this year and by far one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been part of as a coach and/or parent. We held our first lead of the tournament, scored five runs in an inning and batted through a the lineup four times.
All you can ask for is a chance to win. We came into the bottom of the sixth down two and came up just a run short. Ollie came up down one with runners on first and second and did his job and moved the runner into scoring position with a sacrifice ground out. The game ended on the next at bat with the tying run on third and winning running on second. A loss stings, but this was one of the best losses I’ve ever been part of (if that’s possible).
Ollie went 3-4 with three RBIs and a two runs. His first two hits were absolutely crushed into the outfield. His second hit was a bomb over the centerfielder’s head and Ollie pulled into second base with a double!
Look at the ball (top of the picture) absolutely crushed off the bat!
GAME 8:
Ollie was 1-2 with a single and fly out. He was an absolute vacuum in the field. He looked like Brooks Robinson at third. As far as the game… YIKES. Quite a step back for the boys today. This is one of those games you live and learn.
GAME 8:
I’m still not ready to completely accept that the end of the season is here, but our 8u Grizzlies’ Seabreeze team ended their season with a 17-16 loss which has a LARGER ASTERISK than Barry Bonds’ homerun record. Oliver “The Ultimate Warrior” Fragola (who in his last game of the seasons went 3-4 with 5 RBIs and 2R) came to bat with the game on the line, down three with the bases loaded and knocked in two runs to bring the game within one, however the game ended there “time limit rule”. These kids’ commitment was unwavering and their resolve and hard work to improve each day was more than i could have ever imagined. I am proud to be their coach, I am proud to have grown with them and I am proud of the frienships and bonds that have been forged from this travel baseball season.
Thank you to Steph for allowing me to be gone six nights a week and to be cranky when things weren’t going our way. Thank you to the parents for trusting me with your children and trusting me with their baseball development. Thank you for coach Meg for getting me on board, and a special shout out to the Pepperbush Crew. Thanks for dealing w me and Joe (thanks for all the feedback, you’ll always be Coach Joe to me!!!)… and thank for getting my third base coach arm “wave them home” working!!!
But most of all thank you Oliver for teaching me more than I could ever teach you; thank you for showing me that coaching could be just as rewarding as being an athlete on the field; thank you for showing me how sports can be about fun and laughter just as much as winning… while reminding me that winning is important too! Thank You for being you, Oliver, a true ALL-STAR!!!
*One of my favorite pictures of the tournament. Clapping for my son who reached first after singling home two runs he knocked in! In one of the biggest spots all summer, Oliver came to bat and came through and had one of the biggest hits of the season. It should have resulted in a win… But Win or lose… I couldn’t be more proud of my son as a baseball player, leader and little boy!!!
Oliver’s Official Rookie Card
Season Ending Totals:
17-27 (.630 AVG); 11 RBI; 6 R
“If my uniform doesn’t get dirty, I haven’t done anything in the baseball game.” -Rickey Henderson
Oliver picked up a pack of 1988 Topps cards today. Today’s break was special not just for the Tom Glavine rookie card he pulled, but his first experience with baseball card pack gum! what’s your favorite Oliver quote from this break!!??
“OLLIE STOP!!!!” he’s doing something stupid. IE: Throwing the diving toys back into the pool when I asked him to take them all out.
“Oliver!???!!!!” (Note the sense of worry with the question marks) = He cant be found. IE: We thought he was in the pool, but he’s nowhere to be seen. He actually around the side peeing on the azalea bush.
“OLIVER!!!!” = He’s acting like an ass. IE: He’s screaming on a Sunday morning when the neighbors are trying to enjoy their coffee on a beautiful day on their deck.
“OLIVERRRRRRRRRRR!” (note the emphasis on the last sound). = He’s now screaming at the top of his lungs after you’ve already screamed his name multiple times. IE: he continues to scream while in the pool even after your neighbors have text you that they can hear your child screaming and you yelling at your child from five houses up the road.
As a former first grade teacher and now the parent of our second first grade child… It’s pretty simple if you ask me:
All emptied out of our first grader’s backpack the day after a four day vacation (in which he was sent to school with a completely clean and organized bookbag.
I feel like seven is an underrated age. Six seems so young… But, seven feels so different. I’m not sure if that means you can watch PG movies now, or maybe you’re allowed to vote or drive a car or something? But I know that the Bubble Guppies loving, Blaze and the Monster Machine quoting little guy… doesn’t seem so little anymore.
There’s still signs of that little guy there. That adorable, innocent, and sometimes menacing smile, wanting to curl up in bed with Mom And Dad in the middle of the night for no reason or a simple request to race hot wheels. Those will always be there. I know they will and mom and I cherish each of those times more than you’ll ever know more than you’ll know at seven years old and more than you’ll know as you grow older, until one day you have children of your own.
Mom and I are in awe of the boy you have become. You’re not just someone’s son or a little brother. You are your own unique person. Watching you develop a passion and love for baseball and football has been truly inspiring. You remind me of me at your age, collecting baseball cards and reading the back of the cards as you unwrap them to learn more about each player is so fun to experience. Watching you trade baseball cards with your brother and talk about sports with him and I or some of the best moments I’ve had over the past year.
This year you just picked up a chapter book and started reading it. You fold your own laundry, you make your own breakfast. You never cease to amaze us. I watch you take care of your cousins, call to check on Bammy and Mima and continue to develop into a kind and respectful boy. You are a leader and your friends look up to you. That’s what life is about… leading with kindness and respect. We can’t ask for anything more.
We have enjoyed watching you live your life through your eyes and your stories. Your crazy stories, your fearless attempts at anything you put your mind too are impressive (and at times scary for mom and I). Yet in the end, it’s those reasons your will be successful.
Anything you put your mind to, you will accomplish. You will never fail if your goal is not perfection, but excellence and improvement. We could not be anymore proud of you and we could not be more excited about what the future holds for you.
This blog entry will Chronicle (pun intended) a father and second sons’ first time reading the Harry Potter series together. This time around it’s a twist… As Oliver enters the magical world, this time the narrator will be both dad and big brother!!! I’ll update it after each chapter so that I can capture the most memorable moments. Come back often and check in on our progress and leave us a note or some feedback. Oliver, welcome to Hogwarts!!!
Finally! “I did my waiting! Twelve years of it!” (Well clearly it hasn’t been another 12 years, but I know Oliver has been asking for ages)! I thought we’d be able to make it a bit longer, however there was no keeping this little guy out of Hogwarts any longer. Tonight Oliver and I begin our journey at 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging… to Platform 9 3/4 and finally on to Hogwarts! Wish us luck… then again, we won’t need luck… we’ll be with Professor Dumbledore (and Jax).
Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived
Oliver: “What’s a Muggle?“
Dad: “What do you think a Muggle is?”
Oliver: “Your Butt.”
Nothing like a good butt joke one chapter in!!!
Chapter 2: The Vanishing Glass
It’s been a bit since all three of us could actually sit down to read together, but tonight provided some much needed magical reading time.
Jax read a few pages as Oliver rolled around the floor, but like his dad he could seem to pay no attention while completely comprehending the entire chapter.
Oliver’s most important part of Chapter 2: acting out Harry talking to the snake:
Coming Soon
Check back often to see updates from our progress reading each chapter! For now check out Jackson’s Chapter by Chapter:
Sorry Sons: Chronicles of a New Dad 