Hundreds of young ballplayers, their families and other members of the community came together Saturday for the opening ceremonies for the 2026 Turlock American Little League (TALL) season. A morning filled with smiles, hugs, laughs, donuts and a few games of catch, it was a sight that the late Paul Cooper would have been happy to see.
This year’s opening ceremonies marked the first event held at TALL’s ballfield since it was named after Cooper, a coach and umpire for the league for over 50 years.
Formerly known as Julien Field, as it is located on North Johnson Road on the campus of Julien Elementary School, a resolution to rename the venue after the beloved coach was unanimously approved by the Turlock Unified School District Board of Trustees on June 16, 2025, just over a month after Cooper passed away at the age of 75.
Joining the players and coaches on the field Saturday for a formal dedication ceremony were family and friends, local volunteer organizations and members of the naming committee that worked diligently to make the renaming a reality.
“This day was a long time coming,” said Mary Machado, a TALL board member and the chair of the renaming committee. “It is such a blessing that this is finally happening.”
Machado thanked other members of the committee and the community, as many spoke at TUSD board meetings and submitted letters in support of the renaming. She also thanked Cooper's wife, Edna, who was in attendance and was presented with a commemorative plaque.
“Thank you, Edna, for the sacrifice that you made by allowing Paul to be here for 52 seasons,” Machado said. “We are very grateful and thankful that he was a part of our community.”
Cooper began coaching Little League during his senior year at Denair High School in 1967. He retired from working at the Turlock Irrigation District and coaching in 2019 after helping Todd Feldman coach the Tigers to a majors city championship and through that summer’s Tournament of Champions.
“Baseball was more than just a game for Paul, it was his passion,” said Feldman, who served on the naming committee. “He knew how to connect with his players and get the most out of them, and his players — and there's a lot of them out here that are now dads and coaches — would always want to do the best for him.”
Feldman listed some of Cooper’s contributions to the community and his recognitions. In 2001, Cooper was honored by the Turlock Chamber of Commerce and received the Youth Involvement Award. In 2003 he was honored by the Stanislaus Society for Safer Student Athletics for outstanding leadership and dedication to coaching young athletes. Cooper was also an active member of the Kiwanis of Greater Turlock for 23 years, where he organized the club's weekly breakfast meetings and managed the Turlock Christmas Parade.
Over a dozen members of the Kiwanis of Greater Turlock joined Cooper’s family on the mound as little leaguers looked on from across the infield.
“Paul was a member of the Kiwanis for many, many years, and he always made sure that we sponsored a team, or two teams, or three teams or four teams, or put up three or four signs (around the ballpark),” joked Kiwanis of Greater Turlock President Rufus Keaton, who was also on the committee alongside his wife, Mary. “It's a great day to be in the Turlock community, and especially to be in the Little League community. It's so fitting that we name this field Paul Cooper Field. Paul dedicated a lot of his time to this field and to the community.”
Other members of the committee were former professional players Steve Soderstrom, Kevin Kramer and Brett Cumberland as well as local business owner Jason Machado, who all played under Cooper. It also featured former and current Turlock American Little League board members and leaders like President Otto Askil, Phil Salazar and Maureen Kramer, coaches Jack Mayer and Glenn Kramer, Kiwanian Larry DeBora, former Turlock High head coach Mark de la Motte, and Cooper’s sister, Pamela Jesse.
Prior to walking out on the field, Edna recalled her husband’s constant urge to return to the ballpark to coach the local youth, even as his health declined and mobility became difficult.
“He always wanted to be here. This was his home,” Edna said. “Little League, coaching these kids, it was his life.”
Saturday’s ceremony concluded with a full-circle moment. His son, Shawn Cooper, tossed the ceremonial first pitch. It was caught by Jason Machado, who then handed the ball off to young Lucas Fontes, Cooper’s great nephew. The ceremonial act drew a loud applause from those in attendance.
The crowd also ensured phones were fully charged to snap as many pictures as they could with the new branding around the field.
Now gracing the fence behind home plate and facing towards the main entrance of the venue is a sign that reads “WELCOME TO PAUL COOPER FIELD.” And hanging on the snack bar building near the entrance is another sign commemorating Paul Cooper Field, fit with a graphic of a baseball on its design.
“Paul taught his players the game of baseball, but more importantly, he taught the important things to come with baseball — honesty, integrity, sportsmanship and teamwork,” Feldman added. “So today, on March 7, 2026 we honor Coach Coop for his decades of service to our baseball community. I, along with the renaming committee, proudly proclaim this field now to be called Paul Cooper Field.”
