In the last five years, Bowling Green East Little League has made three appearances in the Little League World Series. Their coach, Rick Kelley, is the only coach in Little League history to make an appearance at the LLWS three times, and with his coaching experience, he was able to have a record of 4-6 with a 4th and 3rd USA bracket finish. This year, the team didn’t make it far at the LLWS, but they represented the city of Bowling Green well.
The Little League World Series is a baseball tournament that hosts the top 16 teams around the world to compete for the title of best Little League team. Once the players arrive at Lamade Stadium, they are greeted by thousands of fans waiting for autographs and security waiting at the gate where the teams stay. After that, they get settled in, and the fun begins the next day. They wake up bright and early, walk about a mile, and get fitted for their gear: gloves, shoes, sunglasses. After this star treatment, they can relax in their dorm, which is connected to an international team that you get to meet through the room that connects both teams.
To get to this incredible event, teams have to get through district, state, and regional tournaments, which in Bowling Green’s case has the best teams throughout the whole Great Lakes region, including state-level rival Owensboro Southern.
“These kids will never forget the experience of going through the process of the Little League World Series,” said Chris Burke, head announcer of the Little League World Series, as he talked about the experience that these 16 teams get to go through in a week’s time.
Some students attending Bowling Green High School were able to experience the full ride of the LLWS.
“Now that it has happened, you don’t really believe that it happened,” said John Guthrie, member of the Purple Gem staff and junior at BGHS. John played on the 2016 LLWS team. For others, the experience was heightened because they have family members that played in the LLWS.
“I’m very grateful to say I’ve been able to play in it twice...My little brother was a part of the team this year, and that just makes it even more special,” said Spencer Newman, a member of the 2015 and 2016 BG east team.
The incredible success of BG East should not go overlooked in this community. While it has become routine for the team to make it to Williamsport, it is an astonishing accomplishment that deserves community-wide praise and admiration.
The Little League World Series is a baseball tournament that hosts the top 16 teams around the world to compete for the title of best Little League team. Once the players arrive at Lamade Stadium, they are greeted by thousands of fans waiting for autographs and security waiting at the gate where the teams stay. After that, they get settled in, and the fun begins the next day. They wake up bright and early, walk about a mile, and get fitted for their gear: gloves, shoes, sunglasses. After this star treatment, they can relax in their dorm, which is connected to an international team that you get to meet through the room that connects both teams.
To get to this incredible event, teams have to get through district, state, and regional tournaments, which in Bowling Green’s case has the best teams throughout the whole Great Lakes region, including state-level rival Owensboro Southern.
“These kids will never forget the experience of going through the process of the Little League World Series,” said Chris Burke, head announcer of the Little League World Series, as he talked about the experience that these 16 teams get to go through in a week’s time.
Some students attending Bowling Green High School were able to experience the full ride of the LLWS.
“Now that it has happened, you don’t really believe that it happened,” said John Guthrie, member of the Purple Gem staff and junior at BGHS. John played on the 2016 LLWS team. For others, the experience was heightened because they have family members that played in the LLWS.
“I’m very grateful to say I’ve been able to play in it twice...My little brother was a part of the team this year, and that just makes it even more special,” said Spencer Newman, a member of the 2015 and 2016 BG east team.
The incredible success of BG East should not go overlooked in this community. While it has become routine for the team to make it to Williamsport, it is an astonishing accomplishment that deserves community-wide praise and admiration.
By Carson Myers