Boerne has achieved a lot in the past three years
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When Boerne, Texas reached the 2024 Little League World Series, it produced a storybook run.
Literally.
Tim Christ, whose son Kaleb played for the U.S. runner-up Boerne team, wrote a book entitled, "How Boerne made history and played on their Field of Dreams."
Just two years later, the 2026 Boerne Little League all-stars are writing a sequel. And this is a case where the sequel is every bit as memorable and entertaining as the original.
Boerne is making it second appearance at South Williamsport in three years. That is impressive itself. But when one considers Boerne had never won a state title before 2024, it really shines a light upon what this team and league have achieved.
"People still have their Southwest jerseys and signs from two years ago. They brought it all back," Boerne mayor Frank Ritchie said. "It's crazy to think we'd be back there so soon for never been being there before, but kudos to the Little League program and all the parents and coaches, and all those who run such a quality organization and invest so much in our youth."
Boerne Little League started investing in the youth 68 years ago. There was a time when it switched to Pony League, but Boerne returned to Little League in 2016. Still, state championships and Series appearances seemed like distinctions that were reserved for other Texas teams like Pearland and Lamar.
Then the 2024 team broke through the barrier. That team made history, reached the national championship undefeated and finished fourth in the world. Suddenly, all things seemed possible.
Enrollment numbers spiked the next two seasons and a former underdog has become a Texas powerhouse. The world has learned that again this summer.
"I felt like at some point we would be back because we had developed roots and developed the program," Chris Carey, league president until last July 31, said. "I didn't know it would be this quick, though. They always say if you go to the Little League World Series it's once in a lifetime, but I didn't realize it would be two years."
Boerne enrolled 1,120 players in its baseball and softball leagues this past season and those numbers likely will continue growing, considering all the aspiring players this team has impacted. Still, this rapid rise upon the world stage is more community-driven than numbers-driven.
Boerne builds its regular season teams to be ultra-competitive, spreading the talent across the league. It also understands that making championship runs is like constructing a puzzle. It's not just about the pieces, but about putting them all together the right way.
"It's really about putting policies in place and following those policies and program vetting and putting the best kids forward," Carey said. "When I say the best kids forward, it doesn't always mean the most talented, but the best fit at second base, for example, or needing a third baseman when there are a lot of first basemen. It's spending time in the regular season building these kids up and understanding who these kids are.
"It's really just walking through the process and following the procedures and having a process to put the best team possible together that has a chance to make a run."
This 2026 team has run all the way to the Series again. Along the way, it showcased its resiliency when it rebounded from a state tournament loss and twice defeated Lubbock Western for the title. It then made history at the Southwest Regional, becoming the first team there to lose its first game before storming back and taking the crown.
While doing so, these Boerne Little Leaguers again have captured the community's imagination. Adults feel like kids again and the younger kids are dreaming about someday doing what this Boerne team is doing. That was the case when these current players were 10-years-old two years ago.
Thus, a cycle of excellence is developing.
"You can sense the other kids getting excited about it and I love seeing the kids excited about baseball or softball," Carey said. "My favorite thing is driving down the road and seeing young kids hitting wiffle balls or dads throwing batting practice at the park and kids playing on the field. Some of them are excited about getting better and they practice because they want to get better.
"It's always a fun thing for me to see the excitement from young kids at what this team and the past teams have done."
Boerne Little League's ascension reflects the towns as a whole. Population there has increased by nearly 3,000 the past few years. The football team reached last year's 5A state championship. Boerne natives Camden Johnson and Rashawn Galloway were just selected in the Major League Draft. They joined Cole Phillips who was drafted four years ago.
So, it's not like Boerne has not long been an athletic, sports-driven town. It's just that these Little Leaguers twice reaching the world stage has really shined a bright light upon Boerne.
"Boerne has always been a good sports town; a baseball town for sure," Ritchie said. "Our athletics are something that motivates our youth and gives them something to strive for. It's just a great combination of groups run well by great volunteers and great leaders in our community."
As was the case in 2024, Boerne players also reflect their town in how they act away from the field. They have received compliments for how they play the game and how they remain humble and respectful when those games end.
For the second time in two years, a group of 12-year-olds have become model Boerne ambassadors.
"I think that's one of the things that makes Boerne so wonderful and charming is that we are a close-knit community where we all care about each other," Ritchie said. "Kids are raised in a way that they are respectable and good sports and good quality kids because of the environment we're in."
The Boerne environment is extra-energized these days. The Boerne Little League all-stars have again brought the voltage. They were rewarded with a parade after returning home following the Southwest championship and will be treated like kings upon their return from South Williamsport.
Who knows if this sequel will spawn a trilogy. Right now, nobody cares. Boerne is just embracing the moment and enjoying the latest chapter.
"We want them to remember the baseball part, but to me, it's the friendships they've formed and the togetherness they've gained that I hope they always remember," Carey said. "Just making it to this point is a memory that will last forever."