On Monday night, residents of Boerne braved heavy rains to welcome home its Little League All-Star team. The parade drew a crowd of some 3,500 people who turned out to celebrate a fourth overall finish in the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Penn.
The team was on a 17-game winning streak and made it to the national championship matchup before losing the final two games of the tournament. Boerne Little League manager Justin Newson and his son and player Kole Newson joined the Standard with more about their experience in the tournament.
This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:
Texas Standard: This must have been a really exciting season, to say nothing of the past few days. What’s life been like for you? Finally getting to sleep in your own bed again?
Justin Newson: It’s been great getting back and seeing all our friends and family welcome us back into town. The whole thing’s been surreal all summer. Just a great experience all the way through, seeing the boys play great baseball and then getting back in town.
And having been home maybe one or two nights in the past month and a half and seeing everyone, I had no idea there were that many people watching our games. We’d see some pictures every now and then and hear of watch parties.
But seeing that many people line the streets and welcome us in the square in Boerne was really, really great. I know the boys enjoyed it and coaches obviously and families. I feel grateful to live in the community we live in with all that support.
It sort of gives me chills to think about it. It’s like a Norman Rockwell painting from back in the old days, you know, with a small town and everybody turns out – fire trucks, the whole deal.
To get to the Little League World Series, an incredible accomplishment unto itself, you first had to win a number of qualifying tournaments. How early in the process did you realize this team was really something special?
Justin Newson: You could see it during the Little League season. Kole started Little League when he was 4 years old, and kids have come in and out of the league. Knowing the players around, you could tell there were a lot of really good ones playing this season.
And when it came down to selection and the team was finalized, we knew that we had a lot of talent on the team. We just didn’t really know how good they would be. No Boerne team has really gone that far, or at least consistently. I think one time they made it to the state tournament, but most of the time they lose in the first or second round.
We knew we were good; we didn’t know how good. And then about the time we got to the state level and went 3-0, that’s when we realized we might have a real chance. And once we got to the next round it definitely stepped up another notch. But the boys competed and kept rolling and found ways to win games. So it was really, really fun to see them make it all the way to Williamsport.
How did the players handle this success? And I guess I have to ask about those last two games, which were a disappointment, but a lot of back-and-forth there.
Justin Newson: They handled the success and failures great. When we first started the all-star season, we got everyone together at the field. There’s always great teams that don’t live up to potential or really talented teams that don’t go as far as you think.
And from my observations of watching teams, the really good ones first start with talented players. But they also have players that play for each other and have a little perspective. And I feel like faith is that perspective. It’s a game at the end of the day. It’s not life or death. It’s not the end-all be-all.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s competitive. But having that perspective that you’re going to be all right either way, I think really helps ground the team. It keeps their highs lower and their lows not too low.
