Staying active can take many forms beyond a traditional gym session or starting a brand-new routine. Sometimes pulling out an old glove or lacing up old cleats is enough to get moving again. Third Coast Sandlot brings players back into the game, making them feel like kids again as they step onto that emerald-and-brown field in the damp, earthy air on the third Sunday of each month.
Scores don’t exist, the number of innings is not set and the club is intentionally accessible, filled with people from different backgrounds and all athletic abilities. Simply show up to enjoy the game and you are part of the team. For adults balancing work, family and responsibilities, this club is a chance to remember the joy of baseball, have a little fun and find movement outside a traditional workout routine.
“I think recreation can be really valuable because the movement is almost a byproduct of doing something you genuinely enjoy,” founder Justin Brandt said. “And maybe that’s part of the larger idea behind Sandlot: We’re trying to give people another reason to get outside. You don’t necessarily need another workout on your calendar. Sometimes you just need a reason to go play.”
After Brandt and his friend Rob George met up one afternoon, they discussed the Sandlot Revolution movement across Texas; they knew building the first team here in Corpus might not be easy, but they made some calls to friends and scheduled their first game of the season.
At the core of Third Coast Sandlot is a family atmosphere that cultivates not only a love for baseball but a love for community. On a Sunday afternoon, players work up a sweat hitting home runs and running the bases, with experienced players meeting new ones. Beyond the field, families sit in lawn chairs, kids play pickup games in the parking lot and the aroma of hot dogs and burgers fills the air.
“I think there’s something really healthy about rediscovering a part of yourself that existed before all of those responsibilities showed up,” Brandt said. “It doesn’t mean those responsibilities aren’t important. They are. But having something that is simply joyful can make you better when you go back to all of them. During our last game, I hit my first home run. The first thing I did after touching home plate was go find my 9-year-old to celebrate with him. In hindsight, it was a really cool role reversal—watching your kid be proud of you for doing something they love, too.”
Sometimes, staying active isn’t about finding a new routine, but returning to the field and remembering why you loved it in the first place.
Contact: thirdcoastsandlot.com | @thirdcoastsandlot
