After an early loss to Nevada in the 2014 Little League World Series (LLWS), the championship berth of the Jackie Robinson West team looked doubtful, but the team’s consistent attitude, approach to the game and fundamental skillset allowed the team to ignore this early loss and win its way through the losers’ bracket, ultimately claiming the title of United States Little League World Series Champions.

“I don’t like losing,” first-basemen Trey Hondras was quoted as saying in the Chicago Tribune. “It’s like a girl dumping you and going to your best friend. It really hurt. Getting revenge is like getting a better girl and showing her off to your best friend.”

After losing to Las Vegas 13-2 in its second game of the LLWS, the Jackie Robinson West team had to be perfect throughout the rest of the tournament, winning four straight games, to contend for a championship. The team rose to the occasion and so did its level of play.

“I think they deserved to be where they were at,” LT Head Freshman Baseball Coach Charles Witt said. “They were fast. Their team speed was incredible. They forced the issue. Teams had to make perfect plays to get them out. I could look at those guys and tell you that there were several of them that would make the team here.”

The team played with an enormous amount of pressure. Having played in Little League championship situations, LT right-fielder Chris Cooper ‘15 could relate.

“It’s like having the world bearing down on you,” Cooper said. “Any error can dramatically change the momentum of the game. Championships are like any other game, but with more eyes in the stands.”

For many teams, losing a game like the Jackie Robinson West team did to Las Vegas would have been cause to shut down and hang heads. As Cooper said, errors, or in this case losses, can change momentum, and in the case of Jackie Robinson West, the momentum shift can be for the better.

“I really did feel like the game we lost was a blessing,” Jackie Robinson West Manager Darold Butler was quoted as saying in the Chicago Tribune. “It woke us up. The kids have been more focused than they’ve been all year. It’s hard to beat a team twice. These guys are so competitive. They want the shot. I can’t see that game being exactly like it was the first time.”

The team’s game play was solid throughout. At the plate, the team was carried by Darion Radcliffe, hitting .529, Josh Houston, hitting .474 and Hondras hitting .429; all had at least eight hits in the World Series. Despite this near perfect play, there were areas in which the team could have improved, that only a trained eye could have seen.

“The mechanics in their swings [needed improvement], but that’s true for any kid that age,” Witt said. “Those kids couldn’t all hit those [better pitchers], because their mechanics were poor. Just because kids are hitting it far, doesn’t really mean that they’re mechanically swinging very well.”

The players’ attitudes and their ability to play together were perhaps their biggest assets, allowing them to make for a successful team that never gave up. These were aspects that coaches would like to see in every team.

“Something that was very unique for them was that they never got too down on themselves,” Witt said. “They were behind in several different games, and they didn’t let that bother them. That never-say-die attitude was really cool to see in them. The players were buddies, they were friends. If you don’t have that chemistry that’s going to affect you somewhere down the road. Those guys seemed to like each other. I think they had great chemistry, and that definitely goes into the formula for a great team.”