For almost as long as he can remember, 13-year-old Miles Frost has been drawn to a baseball diamond. Not long after he could walk, he started playing catch in the backyard with his mother, and now, he can consistently be found at local batting cages taking swings with his dad.
After catching the eye of coaches during a highly competitive tryout in Denver last month, Frost will play in the All-American Games, which will take place at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Melbourne, Florida, July 28 through Aug. 3.
“It was pretty exciting to find out that I made the team,” said Frost, who competes locally as a member of the Belt Salvage Bandits in the Southwest Colorado Youth Baseball League. “Making the team was a big accomplishment for me.”
In order to be selected to play in the All American Games, Frost had to separate himself from a large contingency of players who tried out for the Northwest Region team, which draws from several western states, including California, Washington, Nevada and Colorado.
During the three-hour Northwest Region tryout, players were evaluated based on their hitting, pitching and fielding while participating in numerous drills that are used to evaluate players at every level, including the major leagues.
Twelve players were immediately selected for the team after the initial tryout and 13 other players were later named to the team during a selection show that was televised online. Frost’s mother, Tara Cohoe-Frost, watched the selection show and experienced elation upon learning that her son had been selected.
“I watched the selection show first just in case he didn’t get picked,” Cohoe-Frost said. “His face was the first face that popped up on the show, and we were so excited. I couldn’t believe it.”
While Miles Frost’s selection to the Northwest Region all-star team was gratifying in the moment, it also served as a reminder to the 13-year-old and his family of the pay-offs that come from countless hours in the batting cages and on the diamond.
“We do a lot with our kids; they have constantly been outside hitting into the net since a young age,” said Cohoe-Frost. “I was always out throwing with them, and my husband, Anthony Frost, takes them over to the nets and they hit at the park.”
Although baseball has become Miles Frost’s favorite sport, the soon-to-be eighth grader also excels on the basketball court and football field, and will suit up for Cortez Middle School next fall.
Asked about his goals moving forward, Frost said he would like to continue spending time outside, playing sports with his friends before eventually competing on an athletic team at the college level.
“I would like to make it to the next level and play college sports,” Frost said. “I’m just trying to go out and play my hardest and show (coaches) what I can do. Whatever sport I can play in college, I’ll probably play.”
Those interested in donating to support Frost’s trip to Florida are encouraged to visit the GoFundMe page, “Get Miles to the All American Games in Florida.”
Miles and his family will also host a Navajo taco fundraiser on July 11 at the Madison House in Cortez. The fundraiser will last from noon to 1:30 p.m., and Navajo tacos will be delivered to Cortez businesses on the date of the fundraiser upon request. Orders can be made by calling Cohoe-Frost at 970-739-5015.