Published: July 01, 2009 04:41 pm      

Sheet Metal Reds heading to Round Rock for World Series

The Cleburne Sheet Metal Reds are heading to the Little League World Series in Round Rock later this week after winning a qualifying tournament in March.

The team will be leaving Cleburne on Saturday, with pool play beginning on Sunday.

Each team is guaranteed four games in pool play and entry into the single-elimination championship tournament, which is scheduled to start on Wednesday.

“Most of the teams qualified by winning tournaments from February to now,” Sheet Metal Reds coach Paul Chavez said. “We won the DeSoto Tournament in March to earn an automatic bid to the World Series.”

A team from Burleson also is scheduled to compete in the tournament, along with other teams from the Metroplex and around the state. Chavez said a couple of out-of-state teams also will participate.

Aside from winning the DeSoto qualifying tournament, the Sheet Metal Reds won the Pony Elite State Championship tournament last month at the Cleburne Sports Complex.

Though Chavez said the team’s ultimate goal is to win the tournament, the players will have some fun during their stay in Round Rock for the World Series.

“It’s really a neat deal for the kids,” he said. “On Saturday, they’re going to have a parade in downtown Round Rock for all the teams. They’ll have a barbecue for the kids and a skills competition. We’ve got some kids entered in that. It’s going to be a lot of fun for the kids. It’s going to be something they’ll remember for a long time.”

Last year, the Sheet Metal Reds were the runners up in the United States Specialty Sports Association World Series.

Chavez said those experiences help the athletes grow as players because they wind up in pressure situations.

One of the members of last year’s team is Cleburne infielder German Hernandez, who saw considerable playing time for the varsity this year as a freshman.

“We try to give them a foundation of the sport and turn out not only good ballplayers, but good young men like German,” Chavez said. “Playing in these tournaments gives them experience that we hope they can use at the next level.”