Little League World Series baseball, softball champs get White House visit
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – While the Major League teams battle in the playoffs, this year’s winning Little League baseball and softball teams celebrateD their wins at the White House Friday. The baseball team from River Ridge, Louisiana and softball team from Rowan County, North Carolina met President Trump Friday afternoon.
“We didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until we got home,” said Scott Frazier, coach of the 2019 Little League World Series Champions.
The East Bank All-Stars returned to Louisiana as the 2019 Little League World Series champions, the first baseball team in the state to win the title.
“These guys, they had the right approach. They stayed loose and just allowed their skills to take over and just go play,” said Frazier.
Coming back from a loss early in the series to win it all, The All-Stars’ tenacity earned them a trip to the White House Friday to meet the president.
Coach Scott Frazier says his 13 players are treating the visit like they did the World Series, by not letting it get to their head.
“They’re just kind of like, ‘Alright, this is cool. We get to go see the president.'”
And what comes after a White House visit? Coach Frazier is telling his team to dream big.
“We’re trying to preach, ‘Don’t let this be the highlight of your life. You’re only 12.'”
For the first time in Little League history, the champion baseball team had company at the White House, joined by the champion softball team Rowan Little League from North Carolina.
Their invitation came only after a tweet from Coach Steve Yang, asking the president for the same opportunity as the boys.
“It just went viral and three days later a representative from the White House called me and said hey we want to invite your team so here we are,” said Yang.
Proving hard work— on and off the field— can take these young players to places they never thought they could reach.