August 1 - After defeating the top western seed Crawford County in the one o'clock semi-final game on Monday-- instead of watching the next semi-final game in the hot sun, Coach Dean Carey had his team and parents move five miles down the road to a shady pavillion in a secluded state park. There, the kids and parents could take a break, plays some horseshoes, and reflect on the upcoming championship game that would take place in about four hours.

The coaches and parents talked about the great semi-final victory earier in the day and speculated that GWA might meet Horsham--the eastern number one seed who beat GWA earlier in the week by a score of 14-3. The coaches and parents felt that they had a shot at beating either of the two teams in the other semi-final. But the kids--they had no doubt--they KNEW that they were going to win....and that is the story of this team.

When this all star team was first assembled, Dean Carey knew he had a good team. They could hit, play good defense, run the bases, and had good pitching depth. But they weren't "great" in all of those baseball areas. However, the one thing that this team really possesses, that sets it apart from all others is....Attitude....Chemistry...call it what you will, but it is that intangible that makes a team a winner.

Good baseball teams must be loose, but at the same time be focused....easier said than done. The GWA seniors succeeded in striking the right balance. Off the field, the kids have a great time goofing around-- but when it's game time, they come to play, and they play with heart.

In each of their last three tournament games, GWA fell behind and could easily have gone home and said--"At least we made it here." However, in each of those games, the team fought back, and ultimately prevailed. As state champions, they accomplished what no other GWA boys team has been able to accomplish.

Many all star baseball teams can unravel like a bad soap opera. You have 15 players on the team, but only 9 can play at a time. On this team, the kids accepted their roles, and the non-starters made significant contributions when given the opportunity. Each of the kids respected each other--and they also respected the coaches.

Finally, you have to give credit to Dean Carey and his coaching staff, Freddie Cefalo, Trent Grove, and Joe Bellino. These guys were focused on winning a championship--and they pulled it off. How many baseballs has Dean thrown to these kids in batting practice over the last 10 years? I figure over 30,000. Well, it all paid off.

THE GWA SENIORS ARE PENNSYLVANIA STATE CHAMPS.