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LAPLACE — The St. John Warriors 11-year-old recreation All-Star baseball team recently captured the Dizzy Dean World Series on July 18 in Southaven, Miss., finishing the series with an undefeated record in five games.

The Warriors defeated the North Tampa All-Stars to capture first place over 24 other teams.

Under the direction of head coach Waylen Martin and assistants Darnell Jones, Carl Stemley and Andre Simmons, the team qualified for the World Series tournament with a bye in the Louisiana All-Star tournament in July that was contested in Plaquemines Parish.

“Our team was well-prepared and came ready to play. They were focused from game one until the last out in game five and fought hard in every game,” said Martin. “I want to acknowledge my coaching staff, Darnell Jones, Carl Stemley and Andre Simmons, for doing an excellent job managing the kids on and off the field the entire year. Also, parents should be acknowledged for a job well done. Without their support and understanding, we would not have made it to this point.”

Added St. John Parish Parks and Recreation Director Terrence Jones, “Sports is a mirror image of life in some ways.  Adversity is always present. However, facing it and coming through it builds character and humility. I witnessed their early struggles but I also experienced their ‘stick-with-it attitude,’ a mindset that allowed them to capture the end-goal of becoming champions, on and off the diamond.”

Dizzy Dean Baseball, Inc. is a non-profit youth baseball and softball organization whose mission is to provide a recreation outlet for as many youth as possible. The main purpose of this program is to instill in youth, ages five through nineteen years of age, sportsmanship, honesty, discipline and a sense of teamwork so that they may become strong, healthy, well-adjusted members of their community.