Manager, Coaches Have Role in Venezuela's World Series Play

By David Anthony Denny, Washington File

Adults teach, guide baseball players and enjoy the experience

Williamsport, Pennsylvania - It took more than just outstanding effort for Venezuela's Little League baseball club from Barquisimeto to make it to Williamsport and the 2006 Little League World Series. The efforts and oversight of several adults were necessary as well.

First and foremost, the boys had guidance and instruction from manager Domingo Carrasquel Jr., whose father, Domingo Sr., is president of the Cardenales Little League in Barquisimeto. His late uncle, Alfonso Carrasquel, was famous in Venezuela for having been just the second Venezuelan to play in the U.S. major leagues.

This was the younger Carrasquel's first visit to the United States, he said. He found it "very nice," adding: "It's been a dream for me and for the kids to come play. We've worked very hard to get here. Back in Venezuela, competition is very fierce ... [but] we had luck, and thanks to God, we are now here." (See related article.)

One of the two Venezuelan coaches, Juan Jose Perozo, is the father of Eduardo Perozo, the Venezuelan catcher. He told the Washington File he has coached Little League for three seasons, but has coached just this season with this group of players, since it is a relatively young team. This is his first visit to the United States.

Perozo said the whole series of games and activities was "very nicely scheduled" and "very well organized."

"It fulfilled the expectations of any good spectator," he said.

The other coach, Yimmy Jose Colmenares, had a more expansive view. He said he has coached Little League teams for seven seasons, but this is his first time coaching a World Series entrant. Nevertheless, he has coached five of this team's players for six years, he added. And though he's traveled to Mexico and Guatemala as a Little League coach, this is his first trip to the United States.

Colmenares said the team's participation was possible only because of substantial financial support from the governor of Barquisimeto's state.

"We didn't have a chance to deal directly with [the Venezuelan national government] to receive support," he said. "The governor of our state ... paid the airplane tickets for all of us" to go to Guatemala for regional play.

"But the whole thing was a struggle," Colmenares continued. "We struggled to receive the support. ... We have a very rich country, but they don't help us."

Colmenares called coming to the United States "the pinnacle.

"For me this was the greatest. Since the first day I got to the airport, I said it was the best. Just imagining I was going to the United States ... is the greatest thing," he said. "I wish ... we could stay at least a week longer here in the United States."

He said he hoped that this trip "will open doors to us," and added that "in the United States, baseball is the greatest." He said that as a coach, he is learning much that is helpful. He especially praised the planning involved in organizing the World Series, particularly the closely timed schedule.

"In my life, this is going to be the most important thing I've ever had," he concluded.

Source: U.S. Department of State

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