Last spring the state of Louisiana came to the Lake Area to crown seven baseball champs.

Turns out that was only the beginning of a season in the sun for local teams.

Kinder won the state 2A championship and Barbe the 5A crown that weekend in Sulphur. That gave our area a pretty good ego boost when it came to being known as a baseball hotbed.

That, however, has proved to be just the tip of the iceberg.

Since that day, the Barbe team was crowned national champs on the high school level. It was an honor earned by a group of kids who have come up through the ranks of our youth sports system.

There seems more in the pipeline.

South Lake Charles’ 11-12-year-old All-Stars gave the area a reason to believe there are still more days like the ones last May in the offing.

The group of youngsters made it all the way to the Southwest Regional championship game in Waco, Texas, before their successful season came to a close.

And don’t believe they are alone.

Baseball teams from all over the area and in all age groups have won championships on the national level in recent years, including this summer.

While the SLC club might have gotten the most attention because of the exposure ESPN gives that level, they are far from our only winners on the diamond.

We have become a community or set of communities that have become known for playing at a high level in baseball. For that we can not only thank the kids whose talents have produced those championships but also the coaches and other volunteers who help make it happen as well.

Nothing captures the imagination of a community like when its youngest generation produces great results. Those teams become rallying points for fans who usually never give a second thought to youth sports.

Just the other night there were stories of neighbors coming together to watch the South Lake Charles kids battle for their spot in the ultimate destination for youth sports, the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

While the ultimate goal may have eluded the SCL kids, they served their community well. They also gave a good showing while playing twice on national television, proving they were not only good players but classy young men.

That was the report from all locations during the summer as the Lake Area got more than its share of attention and the kids served their hometowns well.

For that they deserve a tip of the old baseball cap and a pat on the back.(MGNonline)