For a Little League Baseball team, a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is a taste of the big time – signing autographs, hanging out with major-leaguers and playing under the lights on national television.
It’s a trip that includes parades, photo shoots and everything else that comes with representing your region in the Little League World Series. It’s a trip that, until this past summer, no team from central Ohio had ever made.
But a dozen boys from New Albany changed that. They made history.
“I always watched (the Little League World Series) when I was younger,” says Nolan Pettinger, a first baseman for New Albany’s 12U Little League team. “I thought it would be like a dream to go there. And I did.”
Pettinger, his teammates and coaches saw their dreams become reality when they won district, state and regional titles to earn the honor of representing the Great Lakes Region at Williamsport in August.
“That to me was probably the biggest thing (to go). Knowing that no other central Ohio area team had ever made it to that level,” says Head Coach Tim Bush. “That was really a feather in the cap for these boys for the hard work that they’ve put in and the dedication that they’ve shown.”
The City of New Albany hosted a watch party at the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts for the team’s first Little League World Series game against the West Region. Others in the community gathered at homes and restaurants to cheer on their local heroes.
“We understood each game was important and the amount of people supporting us and watching from all over the country was motivating,” says shortstop Owen Nardell. “We heard about the
watch parties. The amount of NA families that drove to Indianapolis and Williamsport to watch us play was amazing! The support made the journey much more special for us.”
Even though their run ended quicker than they would have hoped, falling to the West Region 4-3 and to the Mountain Region 13-2, the team earned the respect and admiration of those watching across New Albany and beyond.
Their return home prompted several special recognitions, including being honored at a New Albany High School football game and at a New Albany City Council meeting.
“It’s really cool,” Pettinger says. “We’re grateful for the support. All of this has been an unbelievable experience.”
It’s an experience no other Little League team in central Ohio has enjoyed and one that will stay with each New Albany player for the rest of his life.
“They’re going to look back at this and know that these are their brothers,” Bush says. “They spent literally five weeks straight together. All of those things helped them to build bonds with each other that are going to last for a very long time.”
Josh Poland is the City of New Albany Chief Communications and Marketing Officer.
