Pariba LL players happy to have Curacao on jersey
Trending
Like thousands of kids every summer, Jaymiell Martina, Steven Felix and Giendry Ryan have both played Little League Baseball for years and watched every summer on television teams competing at the Little League World Series.
Notably, they've seen over the years teams from Curacao get to South Williamsport and had dreamed of being in their shoes representing their hometown and country on youth baseball's biggest stage.
This summer, that dream finally became a reality for the Pariba Little Leaguers from Willemstad, Curacao.
"We are very excited. Since I was a kid, I've been watching these teams play every single year and every time I see them play, I think 'wow, imagine if I was there at that stage playing?' And here I am, playing at the World Series."
It's a dream only a select few talented kids can ever say they got to experience.
"I'm very happy to be here. I have been playing for my league many times, but we always lose against the other leagues," Ryan said. "Now I'm here in Williamsport."
It was a sentiment that Martina echoed from Ryan.
"I played for my league and never won, but now I've been seeing other players for Curacao playing here and now I can say I'm here and I'm happy to be here."
That trio of players, and the rest of Curacao's team, got to see Willemstad get here in 2019, 2022 and 2023, but it was players from rival Pabao Little League who accomplished the feat. This year at regionals in Willemstad, Pariba Little League beat Pabao to secure the league's first berth since 2016.
Pariba Little League also came to South Williamsport in 2012, 2002 and 201.
But, this year's team has a special distinction and a meaningful berth. All those prior Curacao teams qualified through the Caribbean Regional tournament and had "Caribbean" written across their chest in various colors over the years, from black and orange to black and blue.
This year's team gets their own jerseys and it proudly says "Curacao"across the chest with a C on their caps.
"It was something good for Curacao and great for me too and great for Curacao. As a first-time manager in Williamsport facing Japan, I heard a lot about Japan and the history with them," Curacao manager Railison Gijsbertha said. "I wanted to win it for Cuaracao."
He did that. Curacao opened the Series with a convincing 6-0 win against Tokyo, Japan to reach the winners' bracket against Seoul, South Korea and advance. That win was thanks to a combined no-hitter from Martina and Ryan, who combined for 11 strikeouts with two walks.
Gijsbertha is glad not only to be back for Pariba Little League for the first time in 10 years, but to have a direct entry via Curacao this summer.
"We did it for Pariba. Because it's the first time here with Curacao on our chest, it's much more important for Pariba and for Curacao," Gijsbertha said.
Pariba Little League isn't just content being at the Series and representing Curacao. They have bigger aspirations and hopes. That was evident when Gijsbertha as asked why he didn't let Martina throw the entire game on Friday, as he was pulled at 67 pitches after 4 2/3 innings.
"I took him off the mound because I wanted him to be ready for our semifinals. I'm thinking of the semifinals," Gijsbertha said. "That was why I took him off the mound."
Curacao played aggressive in its opener, and that's something Gijsbertha noted was part of the game plan for his Little Leaguers at this year's tournament.
"There was a lot of pressure on us for this game (vs. Japan). The way we saw the game going, we did what we do in Curacao: put pressure on the defense," Gijsbertha said. "That was what we did."
And playing aggressive has Curacao at the Series for the first time as a direct entrant, and its players, coaches and fans ar emore than happy and full of pride.