Thunderstruck: 3 Bel Passi travel teams still in the hunt for World Series

Kids have been playing baseball on the diamonds of Bel Passi for 62 years.

Lately, though, they’ve been traveling beyond those borders, testing their talent and teamwork against the very best in the nation.

Just two years after the creation of the Bel Passi Thunder Travel Baseball Program, the Modesto-based Pony League is knocking on the door to the World Series ... in three different age groups.

The 10- and 12-and-under teams are still alive in their respective Super Regional, the fourth round in a six-round tournament, while the 9-and-unders are one step closer.

The 9s will face Simi Valley in the West Zone Championship in Walnut, while the 12s begin their Super Regional in Pacific Grove against San Bruno. Both games are slated for Friday.

The 9s, coached by Francisco Perez, will advance to the World Series with a win. The 12s take their direction from manager Brad Miller and will advance to the West Zone Championship in Whittier with a victory.

The 10s began their Super Regional on Thursday in Ceres against Paso Robles, but the result wasn’t available by press time. The manager for the 10s is Kelly Wheelock, who coached at Modesto Christian for five years.

“We really like our chances with the 10- and 12-and-under teams,” Bel Passi commissioner Trevor Rush said. “They’re a good group.”

Rush said it’s remarkable how far the travel program has come in a short time.

The Thunder program was launched two years ago to better prepare players for the high school game. The program features six teams, five of which advanced to a Super Regional.

“It’s common in travel ball for a program to have a strong team in an age group or two,” Rush said, “but to have as many as we do makes it special. ... We have six teams and all but one made it to the Super Regional level. That’s rare.”

He credits the Thunder program’s meticulous preseason preparation. The six teams practiced together three times a week for two months before embarking on 60- to 80-game schedules.

Most of their training is focused on building stronger, quicker and more agile bodies, while developing team and program-wide chemistry. The younger players, Rush said, learn from the older players, and the coaches share tactics and insight.

“We have a blend of different experiences,” Rush said of his coaching staff, which also includes former Beyer skipper Mitch Munthe. Rush, a former Cal State Fullerton player, and Munthe head up the 11-and-under team.

“We are guys who have run high school programs in the area but want to coach their own kids now.”

The Thunder program participated in 11 tournaments, including the Irvine Memorial Day Pony Tournament and Arizona Spring Training Tournament. The season stretches from February to July.

“They’re a close-knit group. We work as a program for two months prior to even picking up a baseball,” Rush said. “So in December and January, they worked out three days a week as a program – speed and agility training and performance-type training.

“I think that provided a sense of camaraderie. The younger guys are learning from the older guys, and the coaches share a lot of ideas.”

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 7:32 PM with the headline "Thunderstruck: 3 Bel Passi travel teams still in the hunt for World Series."