I’m looking for catch-playing friends who are willing to take on a 30-Day Challenge.

The concept is simple and straightforward: Play catch, every single day, for 30 consecutive days.

If you successfully complete the challenge, you will be entered into a drawing for a number of prizes.

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• A $50 Baseballism gift certificate.
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• "America's Game" artwork from Baseball Seams Co.
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• A new Wilson A2000.

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The quick details

Each day of the challenge, you are to:*

• Post a picture with your catch partner;
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• Write a short story about that day's game of catch; (Two sentences is a sufficient short story. If you want to write more, be my guest.)
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• Tag each post with #Catch365

Over the course of the challenge, you will have 15 catch-partner goals. Goals like:

• Playing catch with someone 20 years older than you;
• Playing catch with a stranger;
• Playing catch with a police officer or firefighter;
• Playing catch with someone who made a difference in your life.

The other 15 catch partners are up to you. For the duration of this challenge, catch partners are not to be repeated.

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Intrigued?

If you are interested in participating in this challenge, fill out this Google form. The contest officially starts on March 1, which makes the last day March 30 — MLB’s Opening Day.

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Other thoughts.

The mindset for the challenge.

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Why am I doing this?

Because I believe in the power of playing catch.

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The Official Rules With No Fine Print:

• Can complete the goals in any order.
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• Minimum of 10 minutes of active catch playing (Ideally. Really, just have fun.)
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• No repeat catch partners.
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• Day 1 is March 1. Day 30 is March 30. Post one picture every day.
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• Tag each post with #Catch365. If it's one of the goal catch partners, include that information, too.

This rule is the Spirit of the Contest rule. There should probably be more rules, but I can’t think of them at this time. This is the not-fine print that says I’m trusting you to abide by the spirit of the contest. The whole point of this challenge is to get creative in engaging your friends and community in playing catch. It is to have fun making new friends, connecting with other people, and making a memory while throwing a ball. It is not about how hard or far you can throw it, or about what happens if you drop it or make a bad throw. It is about sharing life with another person through playing catch.

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‍The Official Catch-Partner Goals:

• Play catch with someone 20 years older than you.
• Play catch with someone who is only single-digit years     old (up to 9).
• Play catch with someone who lives on the same street as     you.
• Play catch with a sports team.
• Play catch with a stranger.
• Play catch with a member of the media.
• Play catch with a co-worker.
• Play catch with a family member.
• Play catch with a police officer or firefighter.
• Play catch with a school teacher.
• Play catch with a musician.
• Play catch with someone who played baseball or softball collegiately.
• Play catch with someone who made a difference in your life.
• Play catch with a local celebrity.
• Play catch with an employee at one of your favorite businesses.

And, if you’re close to Springfield, Missouri, I’d love to be one of your catch partners!

For those who successfully complete the challenge, you will be entered into a random number generated drawing for chances to win a prize.

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Official Prize List (may be updated through March 30):

• Baseballism $50 Gift Card (2)
• America’s Game artwork from Baseball Seams Co.
• An autographed copy of A Year of Playing Catch. (5)
• A Wilson A2000.
• Cleburne Railroaders prize pack.
• Field of Dreams prize pack.

I will be sharing pictures and stories from those entered in the challenge on my blog.

Rogers Hornsby may be content to stare out windows and wait for spring. I think playing catch is a much better way to pass the off-season!

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*I have been contacted by persons who don’t have any social media. (I’m kinda jealous.) They, too, can participate by texting me daily. My goal is to get as many people playing catch on a consistent basis as possible!