A special group of boys will be representing Los Alamitos in Pony baseball’s Bronco World Series. The championship game is tonight, Monday, Aug. 10.
Players of the Los Alamitos All-Stars in the 12 and under division, which are selected by coaches throughout the Los Al Youth Baseball League, will be going up against some of the best teams around.
The best teams out of Mexico, Taiwan, Puerto Rico and various regions across the United States earned their place in this prestigious tournament and all will be looking to hold up the title of World Series champion when it’s over.
Los Al’s powerhouse squad is no different.
They are hungry for this World Series title and it will take quite a bit of work to knock the local boys out of the top spot.
“I’m not promising a championship but it’s going to take a very good team to beat us,” said Los Al’s head coach Tony Hooper.
Most of the squad has been playing baseball since the age of four or five, and the majority of the squad played in last year’s championship game defeat of the Bronco 11 and under World Series to the then host team Chesterfield, Virginia.
“That loss in Virginia left a sour taste in our mouth,” said Hooper.
“And going into this tournament I told them ‘that should motivate you to win.’”
Los Al’s boys are fired up to avenge their defeat last year with much more than just will.
They’ve been honing their skills at practice and through a rigorous string of games and tournaments. They have tournament record of 3-1 and have had regular scrimmages with elite teams from the local area.
Coach Hooper has been pushing his team to go the extra mile in the lead-up to this weekend’s tournament but he says he doesn’t expect the unattainable.
“I don’t put expectations on them that is more than what they are capable of,” said Hooper.
“But I think they are capable of great things.”
