The Boys Of August: PVLL Wins LL World Series

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:.3in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Athletic glory has a way of expanding without seeming diluted. We see it at every level, in every sport. A Steeler fan cheering on Big Ben, a mid-western farmer with a drowning phobia identifying with Michael Phelps. When a professional team wins a title, everyone that lives within a hundred miles puffs out their chest and says, "We won!" This is one of the gifts of competition, one of the reasons that sports really do matter in the big scheme of things. Nothing brings a community together like a playoff run. Strangers hug in the streets, people are nicer to each other and studies show that productivity increases in the workplace. This is nothing new. The Greek city states knew it and used it. So did the Romans and, from what we can tell, the Mayans. For this reason, not only all of Chula Vista but all of San Diego, California and even all of the United States is awash in glory today. I cherish that and celebrate it. However, yesterday's victory by Park View Little League runs deeper for me. The ultimate connection is, of course, for the parents who had a child on that field. But there are close to 450 children who play for Park View Little League. There are almost a thousand parents. There are uncles and aunts and grandparents. There are maybe a 150 who officially manage or coach or team mom. There are umpires and groundskeepers and concessionaires. And there are also a hundred or so Mom's and Dad's who may not appear in the team picture due to a conflict with work, or babysitting. But are always willing to throw batting practice or shag flies or keep score and choke back their cheers. Who know that their contribution is appreciated when a child that is not their blood accidentally calls them "Mom" or when a boy confers that ultimate compliment by saying, "Thanks coach!" That is the group I belong to, and it was from that perspective that I watched yesterday from Section 4 in the Lamade Stadium stands. Boys, you have made us all so very, very proud. And while we may not have a bag of dirt, we know that we have a share of glory today. Because of you, we can all look in the mirror and say that we are World Champions. Thank you, boys.