Clinton County well represented in Connecticut

Lush mountains, the convenience of having everything within a 20-mile radius of my home, and the friendly, down-to-earth people make it all worth while to call my place of residence.

Entering Connecticut, I wasn't sure what to expect. I've only been in New England once, visiting New Hampshire several years ago. What I'm finding out quickly is that each person that has traveled here from the confines of Clinton County and the surrounding area has made it feel just a little more like home.

In our hotel lobby when I arrived Monday afternoon, I ran into a former Central Mountain baseball player who I chatted with for several minutes. It's likely in Mill Hall or Lock Haven, I'd see him and do the very same thing. Upon my arrival at the facility where Breen Field is located in Bristol (I was escorted there by the wonderful Tina Garbrick, who has become my adopted mom for the week), I saw several parents of Keystone players and talked with them as well.

This very same thing also has happened multiple times over the course of the summer, where I've run into parents at the Beech Creek and Mill Hall Little League fields. Usually the topic is something sports related, baseball of course being the main point of conversation.

At the beginning of this summer, I didn't know how our local Little League teams would fare. One man, Bill Garbrick, had a feeling his Major baseball team could go a long way, and possibly - if the stars aligned - make it to the coveted Little Leauge World Series. So far, his inklings have been dead on.

What's great to see is how proud the parents are of their children. Each mother or father beams with pride as they talk about their child, and how happy they are that the entire team is doing well. They've earned the right to brag about their son a little bit, and I don't mind listening to them as they talk about it.

This entire trip is a learning experience for everyone. Keystone, as an organization, has never made it to the Major regional level. Teams of the past have set the bar high, that's definitely apparent. But what these kids have done, and how proud they've made their families and their community, is really neat to see. The past few days, I've been stopped by multiple community members and chatted with them about the Keystone kids and their journey here to Bristol. It truly is something everyone is involved in and proud to say they were a part of - whether they traveled to Bristol or followed the action via our newspaper, The Express.

I celebrated my five-year anniversary of working at The Express on Friday. I can honestly say this is one of the better things I have ever gotten to report on in my career, and I wish nothing but the best of luck to each Keystone player. Bill Garbrick didn't hesitate to boast about how wonderful the kids have been, sticking to the rules implemented by the East Region personnel. He said they have been a pleasure to be around... and even though he's in a room with assistant coaches Chip Miller and Beech Creek mayor Justin Kline, Bill said he's having a good time, too.

We're glad we can be here to experience the journey with you, Bill.