According to the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) all sanctioned teams for tournaments are allowed to have two straight players per team. The Desert Heat team of Phoenix used those two spots on their team for the Autumn Classic to make it truly a family affair by having team member Keith Nardecchia’s son and his best friend join the team.

“In June he graduated from high school and moved out to Arizona, him and his friend, to start an adult life and life with my partner Carlos and I,” Nardecchia said about his son, Brent, joining the team. “Because we play softball they said they want to play with us. It’s that simple.”

So when the Phoenix Nu-Town Desert Heat team took the fields this weekend it was 18-year-old Brent Nardecchia playing in the outfield alongside his father for their first tournament together.

“We’re both originally from Ohio, and I just told myself I would just be happy if he just came out and lived with me,” Keith Nardecchia said. “Then for him to actually turn around and want to play in our gay league, that was even better.”

The obviously proud and emotional father added, “I’m actually trying to keep from crying right now.”

The Desert Heat competed in the Division 4 tournament this past weekend at Kit Carson Park in Escondido, where the team took 4th place after losing in the quarterfinals to Interactive Male of San Diego.

“It was fun,” Brent Nardecchia said about playing in the tournament and his expectations for the weekend. “I thought [the skill level] would be a little lower honestly, but it’s nothing different, really.”

He added that it was also interesting being on the flip side at a gay sporting event, admitting that, “I’ve never been around so many gay people, but it doesn’t bother me.”

Both Brent and his best friend shared a room with his father and his father’s partner and spent the weekend going to the tournament events, including the closing night banquet held at The Center.

“It’s positive, especially how they keep saying the younger generation is finding it easier and easier to come out themselves,” Keith Nardecchia said. “You’ve also got the younger generation finding it easier to be comfortable with gay friends or playing with gay people.”

He added, “They didn’t think we were going to be as good as we were, and then they got out there and found out that we might joke around and act ‘gay’ or ‘sissy’ or whatever, but we are ready to play ball.”