RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Needville Little League players sign autographs during Monday’s Grand Slam Parade through Williamsport. Needville is a small town in Texas of just 3,018, but the team has accomplished big-time things by reaching the World Series.

The players often hear the question. So do their coaches. Heck, most who live in Needville have at some point during their lives.

“Where is Needville?”

To be precise, the small Texas town (population 3,018) is located 45 miles southwest of Houston. Right now, though, that’s secondary. Because these days, a worldwide audience is learning all about Needville.

And they are realizing that Needville fields quite a terrific Little League Baseball team.

Needville has put itself square on the map this season, reaching the Little League World Series for the first time. Needville went undefeated at the Southwest Regional tournament, making history and proving small towns can achieve some mighty big things.

“They do have that chip on their shoulder, but I’m not even sure if they have it. People are are like, ‘Where is Needville?’ And then they go out and outplay them, so there’s something to that,” Needville manager Andy McRae said. “They’re younger but I think they’re realizing what they’re accomplishing is awesome and that kind of puts that (overlooked) thought to bed.”

Needville may be a little town but its Little League has produced some big-time teams the last three years. The 2021 squad was undefeated, romped to the Texas East state championship and was 1-0 at the Southwest Regional before an assistant coach’s positive COVID-19 test led to a disqualification. The way that season ended was like a punch in the gut, but Needville has come back even stronger and kept fighting on.

The Little League Softball team was a win from reaching last year’s World Series and now the major baseball all-stars have turned dream into reality. Forget the town’s size. The bottom line is these kids can play.

“When it comes to putting teams together and picking all-stars we don’t have much to pick from, so it’s a good feeling for those guys and they have put the work in to get this far,” Needville Little League president Charlie Swanson said. “Big town; small town, it doesn’t mater as long as you have the will to win, the talent to be there and work hard and these kids do that.”

“We’re doing this for Needville and that’s what it’s supposed to be about. It’s really cool being from a small town and doing this,” McRae said. “I grew up in this small town and dreamed of reaching the Little League World Series and now to coach my son and all these boys at the Little League World Series is amazing.”

This team reflects its town in several ways. Players share a special bond, feature a driven work ethic and have earned just as many accolades for their conduct off the field as on it. Even before making this run, Needville Little Leaguers drew big crowds back home.

But their journey has become the entire town’s and seemingly everyone wants to be a part of it. School was canceled last week and buses brought hundreds of fans to the regional final in Waco. There, those residents of that small town made quite an impact and produced some large noise. So did their team which defeated Louisiana, 5-3 and capped a perfect 4-0 run through the rugged region.

“The excitement that has enveloped the town of Needville as they make it to the Little League World Series is truly electric and infectious,” Needville mayor Chad Nesvadba said. “Needville, a close-knit community where everyone knows each other, has rallied behind their young baseball stars with an incredible sense of pride and anticipation.”

“They have captivated the community,” Swanson said. “Everybody has been playing well and the support every team has had is indescribable.”

The players feel that support, too. No stat can measure how much the large crowds actually help the players flourish, but reaching the Little League World Series hammers home that it certainly provides a boost. And it’s not like Needville is just catching on now.

The community has literally been with this team from the start. Needville hosted the district tournament when this summer-long began. There, hundreds of fans filled the park each night. Since then, their players have taken them for quite a ride. Along that ride, the players have become stars throughout Texas. Now that has extended to the world.

“It’s not the Friday Night (football) Lights but it’s that feeling of everybody is watching,” McRae said. “There are little kids running around and they want to play like they see the older kids doing it, and that builds on that community atmosphere and wanting to do this, not just for us, but the entire Needville community.”

“The media attention that accompanies such an accomplishment only adds to the fervor,” Nesvadba said. “News outlets cover the journey of these young athletes, capturing their determination and the town’s enthusiasm. This exposure not only highlights the athletic prowess of the players but also showcases Needville as a tight-knit community that knows how to come together and celebrate its achievements.”

However this run ends, Needville will continue celebrating its team. And that goes beyond this summer. Needville has gone from small town to big-time success story and its league numbers continue sharply increasing.

Now, when the younger, future Little Leaguers dream they know they can do so big. All they have to do is look at the championship banners and plaques which will surround the league’s field forever. This team has carved out a unique legacy and showcased Needville as a big-time community.

“We have done something nobody else has done here in 65 years and that’s awesome. They’ll recognize that,” McRae said. “Right now they’re just playing ball and hanging out with their friends but in 10-15 years, they’ll look back and know that what they achieved is pretty amazing.”