Undefeatable friendship

Deepa Bharath

College Park’s own version of the Magnificent Seven doesn’t live in a

Seminole village to protect themselves from Confederate soldiers.

But Sean and Dan Baume, Ben Felter, Vince Hamade, Chris Shanley,

Jeremy Siedsma and Travis Rice embody that spirit of camaraderie and

brotherhood.

The seven men, now in their mid-20s, grew up in Costa Mesa’s

College Park neighborhood.

“We all met each other either in kindergarten or first grade at

College Park Elementary School,” Dan Baume said.

What brought the bunch together was sports. All played Little

League and Pop Warner. Each of the boys was a fierce competitor. When

they were kids, they played against one another quite a bit and loved

it, Hamade said.

But now, the friends stand together as teammates having won the

Costa Mesa city league championships at the Neighborhood Community

Center.

“We were undefeated this season,” he said as he high-fived one of

his friends.

There’s nothing unusual about their friendship. In their spare

time, they like to play poker.

“You could add ‘and drink’ to everything we like to do,” Shanley

said with a smile.

But what makes them a one-of-a-kind group is the way they’ve stuck

together over the years, he said.

“How many people can say they’ve known someone for 20 years?”

Shanley said. “Not many. Not even our parents.”

The friends played football together at Costa Mesa High School.

Their moment of glory came when they made the quarterfinal of the CIF

championships in their senior year.

It was also a tough time, because two of the seven found out their

mothers had breast cancer, Dan Baume said.

But the rest of the group supported them through it. Both moms

were survivors.

“We’ve seen each other through a lot of stuff,” Sean Baume said.

Thinking back, the group didn’t intentionally get together or make a

pact that they would stick together, Jeremy Siedsma said.

“We didn’t choose to be friends,” he said.

“No we didn’t,” Dan Baume agreed. “We just all fell in a bucket.”

Sports can strengthen a bond like nothing else can, Shanley said.

“I can’t think of a time when we didn’t play sports,” he said.

“We’re all jocks, pretty much. But hey, it’s a good way to stay out

of trouble, right?”

There is an unspoken language between the friends that helps when

they play team sports, Dan Baume said.

“We know each other’s tendencies,” he said. “We see it in each

other’s eyes or body language.”

“Sometimes it almost feels like it’s ESP,” Siedsma said with a

laugh.

Honesty has always formed the basis of their brotherhood, Felter

said.

“We’re very open with one another,” he said. “It’s hard to lie to

these guys. They all know where I live.”

Costa Mesa is also a common denominator. None has plans to leave

the city.

“Why would we leave this place?” Shanley said. “It’s the most

wonderful city. The great weather with the beach and the mountains

just a heartbeat away. I plan on having a family here, raising my

kids here.”

Dave Siedsma, Jeremy’s father, said it’s been heartwarming to see

the boys grow up together.

“I’ve seen them as tiny, little kids,” he said. “They’ve all been

good kids, been respectful of each other and stayed together for this

long. It’s something very special.”