Staten Island South Shore Little League coach Bob Laterza’s message remains the same even after his team reached the Little League World Series.
The key is to seize the opportunity and “keep your eyes on the goal.”
Staten Island cleared the first hurdle of qualifying for the LLLWS last week with a 5-0 win over Morristown, New Jersey, for just the fourth time in South Shore Little League history and the first time since 2009.
They will face Nevada Paseo Verde Little League in the tournament’s first game Thursday afternoon.
“We have a winning attitude and we go into every game intending to win,” Laterza told The Post by phone on Wednesday. “That’s South Shore baseball, that’s Staten Island baseball, and we’re going to play our home games the same way we play these games.”
When Laterza spoke to The Washington Post, the Staten Island players were on the practice field, engrossed in a long practice session before stopping for a meal and watching other games being played on Wednesday.
The team remains relaxed despite the big stage and the fact that their next opponent could be a behemoth.
Nevada punched its ticket to Williamsport with a dominant win over Utah in the Mountain Region final, in which pitcher Wyatt Erickson pitched a no-hitter while allowing just three base runners.
Nevada, coached by Las Vegas Raiders equipment manager Adam Johnson, comes into the tournament having shut out its last three opponents.
But Staten Island isn’t giving up, either, and it has a talented pitching staff, including left-hander Steven Grippo, who struck out seven in Friday’s win over New Jersey in the Metro Regional final.
Offensively, Peter Giacchio has been one of Staten Island’s best hitting players.
He scored the game-winning run in last Wednesday’s win over Connecticut and had an RBI triple in the regional championship game.
The Staten Islanders have been in Williamsport since Saturday and are soaking up the experience as they prepare for the tournament.
The players are trying to balance all the interviews and activities surrounding the tournament with preparation for the actual matches.
“Interviews and stuff. The schedule is [uniform] “It’s been a lot of fittings,” Chase Curro told WABC radio of the chaotic schedule. “I’ve got a lot of new stuff coming in from Eastern and Adidas.”
The team took part in a parade in Williamsport on Tuesday that drew a crowd of 40,000 people, Laterza said.
Despite this, the coach is making sure his players stick to the schedule.
After the parade, the coaching staff escorted the players back to their dorms, known as “The Grove,” and had everyone in bed by 9 o’clock.
“That way, we can take a break whether they want to or not,” Laterza said with a laugh. “We’re giving them a chance. [to have fun] And then it’s time to work.”
The winner of Thursday’s game between Staten Island and Nevada will have to wait until next Monday to play their next game, while the loser will have to play on Saturday to keep their dream of playing in the Little League World Series alive.
