ILLAM vies in AsPac Little League
Little Leaguers, from left (front) Enzo Montemayor, Naoki Akita, Zeke Laygo, Aloi Tuprio, Yuan De la Rosa, Marcel Guzman, Emilio Perez (back) Pepe Jose (coach) Adrian Bernardo (coach), Ethan Mitschiener, Nate Carpio, Migs Alvaro, Javi Limpo, Nayda Mitschiener (manager), Matti Salazar, Xavi Bautista, Caleb Evaristo and Randy Dizer (head coach).
MANILA, Philippines - The International Little League Association of Manila (ILLAM) Seniors baseball team is set to compete in the Asia-Pacific Championship (ASPAC) to be held In Saipan June 23-30.
At stake is a berth in the Little League Seniors (16 years old and under) World Series slated in Easley, South Carolina July 29-Aug. 5.
ILLAM earned the right to represent the Philippines in the ASPAC tourney after beating teams from all over the country in the Philippine Series last April in Dumaguete.
Team officials are confident the boys can pull off an upset against traditional powerhouse teams from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
ILLAM said a win in Saipan would also add to the growing excitement in the local baseball community that is finally seeing a concerted effort to revive the sport in the country.
Decades ago, the Philippines was ranked fifth in world baseball. While the country’s ranking has slipped to 35th, this still compares quite well against much more popular and better supported sports like basketball, football and volleyball.
The ILLAM team is composed of players from the Ateneo, Manila Waldorf School, Everest International School and International School of Manila. They are led by multi-titled UAAP baseball coach Randy Dizer and manager Nayda Mitschiener.
The team is sponsored by Jollibee, Oishi, and Atimonan One Energy, Inc.
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