Nicole Manning, 7 year Phantasy Camp Alum, sang the National Anthem at Citizens Bank Park for our 2019 Phantasy Camp Reunion. Below she reminisces on her favorite memory from camp:

I have so many memories from my last 7 years at camp that it is really difficult to pick just one. I learned quickly that my teammates would become Phamily, that the legends were regular, down to earth, fun guys and that the ESF staff are the gold standard when it comes to delivering your Phantasy Camp Dreams.

If I have to pick a favorite memory, I have to say it was when I went in 2016 and a friend of mine asked me to do a favor for him. His grandmother’s health was ailing and he wanted to try and cheer her up. He thought what better way to do so than to show her videos of her favorite athletes? But not just any videos, personal messages.

He knew I had been going to camp and would be returning that year. So prior to my departure he reached out and asked me to help him. I told him I would try, but I promised nothing. Over those 5 days in Clearwater, I was in awe at just how many of the Legends, special guests and newscasters listened to my “pitch” and never hesitated with their “Yes,” “Absolutely” and “Let’s do it” responses.  I managed to send him 6 video messages that year and even got two more the following year.

Those videos meant so much to her, especially her video from Dutch. She showed that video off as if it was a picture of one of her grandkids.  No matter how many memories I have from playing baseball, laughing and even crying with my Phantasy Camp Phamily, being able to hear about the joy those videos brought to his grandmother and to see it reflected in his face tops it all.

Have a Phantasy Camp memory you’d like to share? Want to be featured on our blog? Email hpresley@esfcamps.com for more info.

The Phillies Phantasy Camp team is excited to announce that Larry Bowa will be joining us for our 20th anniversary next January 22-26, 2020! 

Bowa brings a lifetime of baseball experience to Phantasy Camp as a: 

• Previous MLB player, manager and coach 
• World Series Champion with the 1980’s Phillies 
• Two time Gold Glove Award winner
• NL 2001 Manager of the Year and more!

Not on our roster yet? Join Larry Bowa and countless other Phillies Legends in Clearwater, Florida for the Major League Experience of a lifetime.

You don’t want to miss this!

GIVE DAD A GIFT HE’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER 
Do you have a dad, husband, brother, uncle or grandfather who is a Phillies super-fan? Give him an unforgettable Father’s Day gift with a trip to Phillies Phantasy Camp in Clearwater, Florida.

The ultimate Major League experience awaits him, January 22-26, 2020, with three exciting options to choose from. He can get in the game as a Player, cheer on the team as a Phan or coach his own team as a General Manager.

EARLY BIRD SAVINGS END THIS THURSDAY!

Spring Training is officially over and Opening Day is right around the corner! We’ve got baseball on the brain and know that you do too. 

While you’re eagerly awaiting the start of the season, don’t forget that Early Bird registration for the 2020 Phillies Phantasy Camp ends on Opening Day, March 28th. Sign up by midnight this Thursday to receive a $100 discount on your camp tuition.

Join us for an incredible experience in Clearwater, Florida, January 22-26, 2020. Surprises and announcements about the 2020 season to come. Click below to register today! 

PHANTASY CAMP BASICS 

• Attend as a Player (ages 30+), Phan (ages. 21+) or GM (ages 30+)
• Spend 4 nights and 5 days in deluxe hotel accommodations in Clearwater, Florida
• Meet and work with Phillies Legends such as Charlie Manuel, Greg Luzinski, John Kruk and new 2020 Legends to be announced
• Play games coached and managed by Phillies Legends
• Receive your own authentic Phillies uniform, personalized clubhouse locker, collector’s baseball, souvenir video and more!

Don’t miss out on this incredible experience! Questions? Give us a call at 610.520.3400.

Today is arrival day in Clearwater for the 2019 Phillies Phantasy Camp. The folks attending this year are gonna have a great five days that they will always remember. I’ve attended four Phantasy Camps and one Dream Week, which was the predecessor camp before ESF took over the management of the event.

I was thirty two years old when I went to Dream Week. It was held at Carpenter Complex and Jack Russell Stadium. I was still an active amateur ballplayer, then pitching in a few leagues in Chester County and Delaware and had a really good camp as my team and went to the championship game. My coaches were Greg Gross and Bake McBride and back then the “Commish” was Clint Hurdle who is now the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Twenty two years later I went again, this time to Phantasy Camp. ESF truly upgraded the
experience as each team now had an “agent” and there were more off field events like the opening and closing banquet, “Bull Session” and “Star of the Game” interviews with Scott
Palmer to enhance the experience. Each day there’s now a kangaroo court to start the morning with laughs all around. That year I had finished up radiation treatment for a benign brain tumor and it was a tremendous privilege to meet Darin Daulton and offer encouragement as well as share thoughts

My fondest memories of the Camp came the next two times I attended as I did so with my family. In 2016 nine of us went, my two sons, son in law, two daughters, my wife and two daughter in laws. It was a tremendous week as we fellas suited up as players for coaches Mike Lieberthal and Kevin Stocker and the ladies went as Phans. I’ve never had more emotional or proud experiences on a ball field than playing at Carpenter Complex wearing Phillie’s jerseys
with my kids, baseball bliss for me. It was also tremendous honor to wear my favorite Phillie’s number 15, I proudly took my spot at first base in honor of Dick Allen.

During the two years we attended as a family we were also grateful to win the Tug McGraw Award for inspiration in 2016, the following year my son in law Matt Jones won the Charlie Hustle Award, my son Dan won a game MVP award and my son Nolan Ryan won team MVP in 2016 and the camp Cy Young Award in 2017. I got goosebumps watching him go up on stage to receive the trophy from Phillies legend Steve Carlton, that was tremendous!
So this year I’ll be on hand to watch the 2019 contingent of campers make their own memories. The Phillies legends who attend as coaches also have such a great time as it’s a reunion with their Phillies family for them. It’s just fun all around!

-Steve Potter, life-long Phantasy Camper

Over forty Phillies Phantasy Campers came out on a beautiful night in December for our third batting practice at Citizens Bank Park. Excitement was in the air and everyone’s energy was even more focused on working on their swing and getting any new information about our time in Florida. With Phantasy Camp just under a month away, it was easy to see the determination on everyone’s faces to improve on their skills. Overall, it was another great night of camaraderie and everyone’s looking forward to our final batting practice next month.

Check out the full gallery here: December Batting Practice

Another month closer to being in Florida and we had another successful batting practice at Citizens Bank Park as Phillies Phantasy campers came out for our second of four batting practices this winter. The night was filled with campers stepping into the Phillies’ batting tunnels to shake off the rust and spending time catching up with friends. We even had one family surprise their father with a trip to Phantasy Camp!

Check out the entire gallery here: November Batting Practice

We started off our series of batting practices at Citizen’s Bank Park with a bang. Rookie and Veteran Phantasy Campers alike came out to take some swings and begin to shake off the rust. In between cracks of the bat there was great energy and excitement as everyone exchanged hitting tips, told stories from their Phantasy Camp experience, and enjoyed hanging out down in the official Philadelphia Phillies batting cages. A big thanks to everyone who came out to this great event!

Check out the entire gallery here: October Batting Practice