Column: This is truly a big deal

Published 7:56 pm Friday, August 10, 2007

By Staff
Those of us who have been around Little League baseball and softball for a number of years realize just how big a deal it is for a local team to qualify for the World Series.
The Niles All-Stars did just that Wednesday night as it captured the Central States Regional in Peru, Ill.
In all my years of covering sports I cannot remember a Little League team advancing to the World Series.
Niles will travel to Bangor, Maine, the home of Stephen King, and represent not only its own community and the state of Michigan, but also our entire region.
I know I am proud of these young men and you should be to.
Niles has played in one other World Series. The community sent a team to the Babe Ruth World Series many years ago.
Niles has also had the good fortune to host the World Series.
It takes a lot of hard work and determination by a lot of people to get this far.
For the players, it has meant years of playing organized baseball. They have honed their skills through hours of practice and competition.
For the coaches, it has meant hours spent practicing and pulling their hair out over those tough decisions that are a part of the game of baseball.
Another group that deserves as much credit, but rarely receives any are the parents.
Parents are the ones who help foot the bill and follow their kids to tournament sites throughout the state of Michigan, into the Midwest and now have to pony up their own money to drive or fly to Bangor.
I tip my hat to the players, coaches and parents. You have brought a great honor to the community and the state of Michigan.
We know that you will make us proud.
I would love to see Niles win it all, but for me, just getting there is enough.
The Niles All-Stars have had a great season, capturing district, sectional, state and regional championships along the way.
No one can take any of that away from you now. You are all champions.
The All-Star team represents more than just the Greater Niles Baseball League.
Its roster represents four area high schools – Niles, Brandywine, Buchanan and Edwardsburg.
Those players comprise two counties in southwest lower Michigan.
We should all stand behind this team and root them on to victory.
And, if they should fall short of their goal and not win the World Series, we should welcome them home as the conquering heroes that they are.
What would really be cool is for Niles to get all the way to the championship game so we can watch them on ESPN.
You can count on one hand the number of opportunities our youth have had to perform on national television.
I, on the behalf of many communities in southwest lower Michigan, wish you well as you travel to Bangor and try to capture the Senior Baseball World Series championship.