For the first time in history, Australia represented the Asia-Pacific region in senior league baseball, travelling to the United States in early August to compete in the Little League World Series with three of NSR’s student-athletes among the team!
It was an incredible opportunity for Victorian Southern Mariners players and NSR athletes Tim Lane, Jack Dunn and Josh Meyer to represent the Asia-Pacific region in the Little League Baseball World Series senior league tournament, held in Maine from 31st July-6th August.
The boys travelled with the Southern Mariners to the US after boasting an undefeated record at all competitions leading up to their entrance into the World Series. The trio, currently in year 10 and 11 at high school in Melbourne, were competitive and impressive all the way through their World Series campaign, just falling short of victory and claiming runners up to the Central US representative team in the final 2-7.
The Mariners had an inspiration in their bid to achieve World Series success, in the form of their unwell coach who was unable to share this experience with them in the US. With their coach watching from home in Melbourne, the Mariners were emotionally invested in their campaign, explaining that their motivation was to do it for him.
“He put his heart and soul into us basically. It was all that was keeping him going for a while so it means a lot to him. He means a lot to us, so we all got pretty upset when he told us he couldn’t come to the Philippines and he said he couldn’t come to the States,” Mariners star Tim Lane said.
“We always yell his name in chants before the game, just little things like that make it special,” Tim Lane said of his team’s close connection with their coach.
The Southern Mariners represented Australia for the Asia-Pacific region and played against teams from the Europe/Africa, Latin America, Canada and American regions. In the 2016 August World Series, for the first time Australia proudly sent a representative team to the US for all three tournaments.
Tim, Jack and Josh have been on an incredible journey, travelling around Australia, the Philippines and now the US playing the sport they love and competing at a high level. With still a few years of preparation for their US college experience ahead of him, Tim Lane has enjoyed the opportunities he has been able to have with his baseball so far.
“It will definitely give us that experience of the different way Americans play baseball and it will also help with getting to know what it will be like in college being a baseballer and also having to keep the studies up. It’s almost a practice run,” Tim said.
Recognising that the standard of play in the US is of a higher level than that of Australia, the results the three young talents have achieved are to be commended and will hold the boys in good form entering the collegiate system in 2018 and 2019.
Speaking to Jack Dunn before the boys departed for the World Series, the youngster was enthusiastic about the opportunity and keen to see what it could offer him as an athlete.
“It’s pretty exciting to go over there and play against all the American regions and Canada, Latin America and Europe-Africa. I think this will give us more exposure than what is available in Australia to all the American scouts,” Jack said.
The Southern Mariners recorded just two losses in their whole campaign leading up to and in the World Series, including the final. In 2014, the successful club logged their first player to sign a professional contract, beginning a career with the New York Yankees and proving the talent that leaves their club can create incredible future pathways.
These talented student-athletes are on the fast track to an incredible future and we are very proud to help them follow the US college pathway in the following years.
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