Sylmar Pony All-Stars on the road to the World Series
The coaches created a GoFundMe to help ease the financial burden for families who are traveling to Modesto.
SYLMAR, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Sylmar 13U Pony All-Star baseball team has been working hard all year long for the opportunity to play in the 2023 Pony World Series in Modesto.
"I feel blessed and grateful that I'm going to be able to experience going to the World Series because not many people can experience that," said player Jacob Caldera.
"I'm really excited to go. I just want to ball out there," said player Carlos Acuña.
Each year, the best players from Sylmar's Independent Baseball League make up all-star teams based on age groups. Those teams then compete with others and some make it to the World Series, ultimately playing teams from the U.S. and abroad.
This is the first all-star team in the league's 66-year history to make it this far.
"I've been here over eight years now and it's never happened," Hilda Guerrero, commissioner of Sylmar Independent Baseball League.
"The kids, they did a lot of hard work. A lot of blood, sweat and tears to get this far," said Coach Steven Chavez.
"I'm getting a little teary, but it's a great experience just being out here sharing this moment with my son and parents that have been here with us," said Manager Ernesto Robles.
The coaches say the parents are the biggest supporters of the team. They have had to take time off of work and travel to different cities. But to help ease that financial burden, the coaches have put together a GoFundMe.
"We've had to go to Bakersfield, Camarillo, West Hills and during all that travel, it's taken its toll on a lot of families," said Coach Jose Flores.
"It's going to help families. I was just talking to one of the parents. She's really trying to take her son there," said parent Yolanda Flores.
The team hopes to raise $10,000 on GoFundMe.
"Any expenses, that's what the GoFundMe is going to be for," Jose Flores said.
The team plays their first game on Friday at 1 p.m. against Texas. If the team wins all of their games, they will play in the final championship on Monday.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing and I'm just ready to go and play some ball," said player Jordan Gonzalez.
To live stream the games, visit pony.org.
Follow Amanda on social media:
