Jose Antonio Andrade’s son, Antonio, will be Sweetwater Valley’s starting pitcher Thursday night in a Little League World Series game that will determine whether the team from Bonita advances to the United States Championship.

Jose Antonio will be in the Lamade Stadium stands, trying to keep quiet, perhaps sitting on his hands, on occasion reflexively socking his wife’s shoulder during a stressful moment.

He wouldn’t think of being anywhere else. Every Sweetwater Valley player has his parents in Williamsport. It would be difficult to find one who smiles more, who looks at all times as proud and as pleased as Jose Antonio Andrade.

“Once in a lifetime,” he said earlier this week. “I could not miss it.”


But life doesn’t stop for baseball.

Andrade is taking two weeks off from his construction job.

“It is hard for us, to be honest,” he said. “I’m not working; I’m not getting paid.”

Sweetwater Valley at the Little League World Series

The television shots of the players’ parents are an inherent part of ESPN’s broadcasts here, as viewers at home witness the excitement and the nerves.


The tension of watching your kids compete, hoping for the best, fearing the worst, is something with which virtually every parent can relate. So is the dual (and often dueling) reality of wanting to do whatever it takes to be there for them while having to provide for them.

Jessica Fleming acknowledged that coordinating the logistics of job and travel has been “super stressful.” It doesn’t help, she joked, that during the two months of her son, Preston, playing for the all-star team she has not been able to get to yoga.

“The boys tell me, ‘Mom, you need to go to yoga,’ ” she said with a laugh.

Fleming has spent a good portion of her time here on her computer, sending e-mails and making calls. But she’s here.


“I want my kids to grow up knowing I love them and would do anything for them,” she said.

Williamsport is not an easy place to get to. And once here, the hotel rooms are not provided at a discount to families.

The Sweetwater Valley league estimates it will end up costing about $150,000 for all 13 families to attend, and the league is attempting to help with much of that cost. Sycuan donated $20,000 toward the effort, and other fundraising is ongoing.

Whatever is raised won’t pay the bills.


Manager Ward Lannom is in sales, almost entirely commissioned.

“I’m going to take a hit,” he said. “... I can’t sell when I’m here.”

On Wednesday, he seemed both concerned and unencumbered by what may come.

“I wouldn’t trade it,” he said. “Watching my kid succeed the way he has, watching all 13 players, learning about every one of them, you can’t replace that.”


Things seem like they’ll work out for Jaime Ramirez, the Sweetwater Valley assistant coach who was let go by his employer via e-mail on the team’s first day in Williamsport. The ensuing media coverage helped Ramirez receive seven job offers, at least one of which he is confident will work out.

To listen to him, though, Ramirez exudes a peace that transcends his employment status.

“I think I’m better off,” he said. “It allowed me to give everything to my job here.”

Click here to donate to SVLL to help offset costs of families attending the Little League World Series.