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36 replies

Illinois Sparks Rare Accomplishment!

P PGStaff10,000+ posts
The Illinois Sparks won their pool with a perfect 5-0 record. They beat the Florida Stars, Chain Baseball (GA), Lefty’s Lightening (NJ), Upstate Mavericks (SC), ABD Red Dogs (CA) and the Georgia Bats in the pool play.

They are now in the final 4 of the 186 team WWBA 18U Championship. The Sparks won three games yesterday in the playoffs. They defeated the South Charlotte Panthers in the first round in a 2-1 thriller. They then run ruled Syracuse Chiefs (NY). Then they beat the East Cobb Astros to reach the final four.

Today they play the East Cobb Yankees in a semifinal game. The other two teams left among many of the top programs in the country are the Florida Bombers and the South Carolina Bombers. If the Sparks can beat East Cobb they will play the winner of that game.

Quite a showing as this is the first time a northern team has ever been to the final four of this tournament. The Sparks are now 8-0 against teams from NJ, NY, FL, GA, SC, CA, and NC.

The buzz here in Atlanta revolves around the talent on this Illinois team, but even more talk about the way this team conducts themselves in such a professional manner. We all know about Illinois baseball, but people in Illinois should be very proud of what this group has already accomplished on a national stage here!
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SmokeySmokey500+ posts
Thanks for starting this thread

WOW! Congratulations to Big Bill and the Illinois Sparks! You guys make us proud indeed.

PGStaff – please keep us up-to-date on today’s results (thanks in advance).

The guys running this program are truly in it for the right reasons, real “old-school”.

GOD-BLESS and good-luck today. GREAT STUFF!
N Nails100+ posts
that's great for the representation of the talent in Illinois.

I have a question, is this just an All-Star team that was built this year to compete in a national tournament like this? Because I see alot of kids on the roster that were on different teams last year or didn't play with the Sparks last year. So do these kids just play for them this year as 18s with the goal of trying to run out the best IL kids at the 18u level to compete nationally? I thought i'd see most of the kids on the roster be kids who were with the Sparks for multiple years but I didn't. Just curious how it works.
G gwrbiMember
The Sparks roster that is linked to the Perfect Game website is not accurate -- it lists some players who weren't even in attendance competing this week and omits at least one, if not several, who did play in games this week. Hopefully Perfect Game will update the roster soon to accurately reflect who played for the Illinois Sparks at the WWBA National Championship.
P PGStaff10,000+ posts
I would have to check their official roster before listing all the names. I can tell that John Ruettiger was named the Tournament MVP. Tony Zych was also nominated for the MVP.

The Sparks scored two in the 2nd inning to take a 2-0 lead. The Florida Bombers scored 3 runs with two outs in the 3rd or 4th inning. No runs scored the rest of the way, but the Sparks had runners on 2B and 3B in the 5th. I think everyone except Florida Bombers fans were pulling for the Sparks. These kids played their rear ends off.

I’m not sure how many people understand the magnitude of this achievement. There has never been a team from the north make it to the final four let alone play in the championship game at a National WWBA Tournament. There were 186 teams entered including many of the recognized top travel programs in amateur baseball.

The Sparks finished ahead of top programs like the East Cobb Braves, Chet Lemon Juice, Richmond Braves, East Cobb Yankees, San Diego Show (CA), Orlando Scorpions (FL), ABD Bulldogs (CA), Trombley Baseball (CA), Georgia Roadrunners (GA), East Cobb Astros (GA), Knoxville Yard (TN), Atlanta Blue Jays (GA), Boomtown Prospects (OK), Diamond Devils (SC), Team Carolina (NC), Dulins Dodgers (TN), Louisiana All Stars (LA), SE Texas Sun Devils (TX), South Charlotte Panthers (NC), South Florida Bandits (FL), Central Florida Renegades (FL), Virginia Barnstormers (VA), Savannah Chain (GA), San Diego Gamers (CA), etc., etc., etc. among many others.

The other teams from Illinois and also a couple teams from Michigan also played very well down here. Now starts the 17&U which is even stronger. This one will include even more of the top teams from Texas, California, and the rest of the country. I’m sure the Illinois teams will once again be very competitive.

Anyway I hope the amateur baseball fans in Illinois appreciate the outstanding showing by the Sparks and the other Illinois teams down here in Georgia. BTW, Last year we started a new award at our tournaments called the PG PRO AWARD. The recipient is the team that displays the most professionalism, the most class and the best sportsmanship. There were co winners at the 18U Championship this week. The PG PRO AWARD goes to the Dulins Dodgers and the Illinois Sparks. In our estimation, maybe an even bigger and more important honor than finishing in second place among 186 teams. Chicagoland should be very proud of this group!
C cowboyfan10+ posts
To those reading this site who have never come in contact with Coach Copp and/or Sparks organization, you might be a bit skeptical. But don't. He and they are all what you've read and then some in previous posts. My son had opportunity to play against his teams and play with him and his outstanding staff last fall. Class and Professionalism are understatements. And topping it off, they really DO CARE about all the kids they coach. Major congrats Bill, couldn't happen to a finer coach and organization.
Ben_DiggleBen_Diggle100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by cowboyfan:
To those reading this site who have never come in contact with Coach Copp and/or Sparks organization, you might be a bit skeptical. But don't. He and they are all what you've read and then some in previous posts. My son had opportunity to play against his teams and play with him and his outstanding staff last fall. Class and Professionalism are understatements. And topping it off, they really DO CARE about all the kids they coach. Major congrats Bill, couldn't happen to a finer coach and organization.
Could not have put it better cowboyfan. My organization would be nowhere near where it is today without the help of Bill copp.
S SPARKY1100+ posts
First off, I would like to thank everyone for the kind words about our kids and program. If you guys could have seen this team play this past weekend, almost everybody at home would have been proud. They played their rear ends off in the heat of Ga. We played three games on Sunday and 2 on Monday.( 5 in pool ) During the final game I caught myself thinking how lucky I was to be involved with such a great group of kids. I looked out on the feild and saw Johnny Ruettigers forearms bleeding, Mike McQuillans Knees bleeding through his pants. Most every guy in the dugout was completly covered with sweat and the red clay of the South. Thats when I realized how lucky I was to be a small part of this event. Thats when I realized that we had already won. I was just very very proud of these kids. These kids went 9-1 during the week but the thing that I was most impressed with was the fact that every single kid ran out every single ball. They were flying on and of the feild like the great teams do.

Secondly,

Would like to thank the people at PG for the award that was given to the guys. More than any accomplishments this team makes or doesnt make this Summer, this award will mean more to me and all the people in the Sparks organazation. Dave, Pappy, and our board are really the guys who should be commended. Without them this wouldnt be going. I constantly tell my guys to surround themselves with great people and make good choices and things will work out. From the looks of where we have gotten to in a short time, its working for me.

Thanks again for all the Midwest support! You would have been proud of this crew. AWESOME TOURNAMENT and cant wait to go to Jupiter this Fall with the Cangelosi/Bo Jackson group......
G gotwood4sale10,000+ posts
.

Congratulations to Bill, his staff, and the Sparks' players.

I am not surprised...Bill and his organization are doing all of the right things to achieve accomplishments like this.

There is a lot to be said about playing with heart...too much really, so I won't get started.

Just know that Bill understands all of what it takes to get young players to play up to and beyond their potential...the results being the eventual fine showing they had in Atlanta.

This was no fluke...Bill knows how to lead them.

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