I remember it well. In fact, I was about my son's age when I first experienced it. I walked up the concourse, and my senses were overwhelmed immediately. 

I could smell the hot dogs wafting up from the lower bowl of the stadium. I witnessed the perfect cut of dirt in the infield and the ivy on the outfield wall, and my ears were ringing both with the pop of the ball meeting glove as well as the colorful language I was learning from the guy who was hoping I would "move it along and get out of his way." 

I was at Wrigley Field. 

This childhood moment created in me a lifelong love for baseball. As my friends around me lose interest year by year and the younger generation refuses to understand why I can sit and enjoy a game for three hours plus, I continue to stay committed to my first sports love. 

And now that love grows a bit deeper for two reasons: my son is playing baseball for the first time this spring, and I am coaching! I am so excited and have already bought him a bat, new glove and have already gotten together with his buddy and his dad (the head coach of our team) for our first "spring training" workout. 

Of course, it helps that as I drive around Liberty Lake, I see baseball fields emerging from the dirt behind Liberty Lake Elementary, which gives me even more hope that we can practice and play our games in my own backyard. 

There is only one slight problem with this baseball-loving, perfect-spring scenario: the team name, "Cubs," was already taken in our league. The other options included Cardinals (no, no way, and for the love of all things holy, NO!), Brewers, White Sox, Tigers and Royals. The coach and I trust in good karma and chose the defending American League Champs. 

With both the start of our little league and the big league season around the corner, it is time to introduce my son (and ideally any of you who are ready to join the world of baseball lovers) to the three-prong prep for readying oneself for nine innings of joy. 

I know it might be more practical to actually watch games before the start of a baseball season, but it is easier to instead pop in a DVD and experience all the great things about baseball without the commercial interruptions. 

The first selection is "Field of Dreams." Now I may be biased as the movie is set in Iowa, but the story of a farmer plowing down his crop and building a baseball field that allows former (dead) players to come back for another game - and ultimately allows the farmer's father to come back and have a game of catch with his son one more time - is a tear jerker and shows the power of relationships in baseball.

Next up is "42." This is the story of Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in MLB. There are a couple of scenes that rightfully should make you uncomfortable as you observe the racism that was prevalent during this era, but the story of Robinson's courage and self-control are truly remarkable and paved the way for some of the great athletes playing professional baseball today.

Finally, you have to watch "A League of Their Own," which focuses on the first professional women's league that began during World War II. This is not just a movie for the ladies in your life but for all fans of the diamond. The movie is funny, poignant and gives the greatest quote in the history of sports movies. Says the manager to his star player, who is on the verge of quitting because of the difficulty of balancing life and baseball: "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard … is what makes it great." 

Amen.

I know what you (and my wife) are thinking. You already bought the glove, bat and balls - what more do you need? A few basics make the experience that much greater. 

You need to buy a pack of baseball cards, you need a bag of Big League Chew bubble gum and you have to purchase a whiffle ball bat and some balls. 

The baseball cards are the key, as there is nothing quite like ripping open a package and searching for a card from your favorite team. When I was a kid, I spent hundreds of my parents' dollars on pack after pack of baseball cards in the pursuit of completing that 792-card set. Unfortunately, the price of collecting has risen to a point which makes it less realistic, so I am content buying packs until the Cubbie blue shows up.

The gum and whiffle products are key for practicing your pose for your baseball trading card picture you will get in Little League - or for a very awkward selfie you can take of yourself. You must work hard to get that perfect bubble formed as you are taking a mighty swing of the bat (and using a cheap plastic model allows you not to throw out your shoulder practicing). 

Once you have the perfect picture down, you gotta play some Home Run Derby in the backyard.

The third step of preparing for the season is an active step that has three aspects of its own. First, you need to order tickets to a Spokane Indians game to take the kids or the buddies down to the ole ballpark and enjoy watching the future major league players. 

Second, you have to go to the batting cages. There is something disgusting and beautiful about putting on a sweaty batting helmet and attempting to hit an 80 mph pitch … before transitioning to the 45 mph cage so that you can actually make solid contact.

Lastly and most importantly you have to eat a baseball dinner. Tell the family and the significant other that for dinner you are going to eat hot dogs, nachos and a box of Cracker Jack for dessert. Make sure you sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" about 7/9 of the way through your meal.