'It’s the best gift’: Moms spend Mother’s Day at the ballpark

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK) — In Naples on Sunday, Mother’s Day came with folding chairs, baseball gloves and cheers from the bleachers.

Families spent the weekend at the Naples Encounter NIT youth baseball tournament, where many moms celebrated the holiday the same way they spend most weekends this time of year, at the ballfield supporting their kids.

For Jennifer Pontide, there was nowhere else she wanted to be.

“I'd actually be right here, right now, living this moment with my son,” Pontide said. “It's the best gift, just watching him play and battle with all his friends, it means more than a bag, a rose, a purse, anything.”

Her son, 12-year-old first baseman Kaleb Chavez, made the day even more memorable with a home run.

“I hit a home run so I can give her that as a gift,” Chavez said.

The tournament even featured pink championship rings in honor of Mother’s Day, recognizing the moms who spend countless weekends helping make youth sports possible.

From practices and batting lessons to long road trips and tournament weekends, moms at the fields on Sunday said the memories made along the way are worth every bit of the time and energy they pour into the sport.

“Honestly, I couldn't even explain the feelings to you,” Jennifer Melendez said. “Seeing my kid driving him to numerous practices, endless nights of practice, batting, pitching, all the practices, and seeing him accomplish that on the field is a feeling that I can't even explain.”

Melendez said what means the most is knowing the players recognize that support.

“It truly means the world to me,” Melendez said. “To know that they know that I have their back. Win, loss or draw, they know that we moms have their back, and that means everything.”

For many families, youth sports have become more than just games and tournaments. They have become shared memories that move faster every year.

“It does go real quick,” Pontide said. “It felt like we just started Little League, and now we're just doing travel ball. And before you know, he's in high school, and then that's it. Bleacher years are over.”

So on a day usually centered around flowers and gifts, many of the moms in Naples said the best part of Mother’s Day was simply getting another day at the ballpark with their kids.