WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Hamilton West Side Little League baseball coach Ken Coomer took a walk in Williamsport, Pennsylvania early Monday afternoon and offered a theme of the past few days.
“Busy, busy, busy,” Coomer said. “Between the media, the practices – we’ve got a big agenda. We’ve been here since Thursday (Aug. 13) and it’s been pretty much non-stop since we’ve been here.”
It’s certainly a good problem to have.
The Hamilton West Side team represents the Great Lakes Region in the Little League World Series starting at 2 p.m. Thursday when it plays the Mountain Region team from Henderson, Nevada, in a nationally-televised game on ESPN.
Hamilton West Side is making its sixth trip to the Little League World Series in program history. And yet Coomer and Manager Tim Nichting are keeping everything in perspective for the players – most of whom are 12 years old.
“We know this is all fun and glory,” Coomer said of the players’ experience. “The kids are kind of like – I’m going to call it like Disneyland for them or Christmas. Getting all free gifts, all these uniforms, all of this equipment. All the facilities, game rooms and all that. Our job is just keeping them focused on what we’re here to do.”
Hamilton West Side, which earned its 23rd Ohio state championship, has a favorable draw in the Little League World Series bracket. Nichting is making his fifth trip to Williamsport for the tournament while Coomer is making his fourth appearance. The tournament bracket features a double elimination stage.
“Every time we come it’s always something new,” said Coomer, who is the first base coach and pitching coach. “It’s always fun to come back to something you’ve been to before and bring a new set of kids. That’s our biggest thing is bring a new set of kids in and have them experience what other kids experienced in the past and just see their faces.”
Coomer said the team enjoys meeting the international teams; it’s not just about baseball in Williamsport – it’s the overall experience.
“We’ve always had great support from our community,” Coomer said. “Our fans – even when we were playing in the regionals they were watching at the local pub or watching at local restaurants. We see videos of everybody watching and we receive emails and text messages. It’s always been overwhelming. It’s been great support for our cities.”
Coomer said the team is focused on the task at hand in the bracket while also enjoying the week in Williamsport. There is also a strong bond built this summer. Coomer said the "family" chemistry has led to success.
“We feel we work harder than everybody,” Coomer said. “I think with the coaching experience and being here before – I think it helps a lot.”
