Imagine stepping up to the plate at the Field of Dreams. Yeah, that Field of Dreams—the baseball field that’s famous thanks to Kevin Costner and his sixty-fourth inning stretch. This October, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is diving into their baseball debut against the University of Dubuque, and they’re doing it on this iconic diamond in Dyersville. Perfect setting for an exhibition game, right?
For NICC, kicking off with baseball is a pretty big dip in the pool since they added a whole roster of new sports to their program last August: baseball, softball, competitive dance, and cross-country. They’re bringing in Conner Klostermann as the head coach, which is a fancy way of saying they’re putting someone who knows his pitches in charge. He’s a Beckman Catholic grad who’s been on staff at Northern State and is stoked to get this spread going.
Klostermann’s got this vision: play on a dream-like field, stir up some local support, and maybe create a few lasting memories with the community. Talking about community, he’s pulling in talent from right around Dubuque County. Just right for starting something new—you know, that local flair that fans love. Klostermann’s putting together a squad with 51 players for the fall, which means they’ll need a whole busload of nachos for the post-game talk.
UD’s practically sprinted at the chance to be NICC’s sparring partner. Their head coach Dan Spain is a big friend of Klostermann’s efforts and pretty pumped about this whole thing happening at, let’s be real, one of the most storied backyards in baseball. It’s cool to see these programs connect at a venue that’s all heart and history—playing ball on a field that’s literally built on dreams and corn.
Both coaches are buzzing about it—the opportunity to create a spectacle at this legendary spot. Klostermann’s out there to prove that NICC baseball isn’t some half-baked tryout, but yeah, something built to last. Plus, the game’s a serious community builder and a heck of a way for the Field of Dreams to keep hitting homers in terms of cultural influence.
Dubuque only has 24 contact days with players outside of the regular season schedule, and UD’s making this friendly face-off its go-to event. Good call if you ask me—it’s like playing catch with history and using your competition day to set those cross-country roots.
In the end, this exhibition is more than just being the opening act for NICC. It’s about kicking off with a bang, drawing the fans and communities in, and honestly? It’s a sentimental nod to everything about baseball that feels like coming home. You can bet the farm it’ll be one of those ‘must-be-there’ events that folks will be talking about until the corn grows high again next summer.
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Bring your glove, your friends, and a healthy dose of nostalgia—it’s gonna be hard to top an afternoon where real-life rivals step into a Hollywood story.
