Many reasons to cheer

As summer enters its final weeks, our communities have several reasons to celebrate on the sporting front.

For the third consecutive year, a Rhode Island team will be representing New England in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

After Cranston Western’s run in 2015, Warwick North has picked up the mantle this season, topping Connecticut’s Fairfield American by a 5-1 score over the weekend to capture the regional tournament crown. It also marked the first time in 31 years a Warwick baseball team has won a state title.

Elsewhere on the diamond, Warwick North’s softball all-stars this year made another run to the Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, Wash. It is the second straight summer the girls’ squad has made the journey – an especially remarkable accomplishment given the league has only existed in its current form since a merger two years ago.

The local sports success stories haven’t been limited to the ballfield. Louisa Chafee, daughter of former Gov. Lincoln Chafee, is taking part in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Chafee and Bora Gulari, who make up the U.S. Nacra 17 sailing team, surged to ninth place in the standings over the weekend and won a berth in the medal race.

Many may be more focused on the premier competitions in Rio, on the Boston Red Sox as they vie for a playoff spot, or on the New England Patriots as they prepare for another season. But there’s a special sense of excitement and pride to be found in the achievements of the local Little League teams and Olympian.

For the thousands of young Rhode Island athletes who dream of competing on such a stage, this year’s successes provide a close-to-home example of how commitment and teamwork can pay off.

For parents, coaches, and volunteers who devote countless hours and energy into youth sports programs, the high-profile accomplishments of the Little League teams and people like Chafee illustrate just how great their impact on young people’s lives can be. That, of course, goes well beyond the scoreboard and the win-loss record.

We applaud our local athletes for their achievements this year, and all those whose efforts help make them possible. With the rest of Rhode Island, we’ll be cheering them on.