WORLD SERIES BOUND

Rattlers look to bring home another championship

The San Marcos 12 and under All-Stars are competing at the Pony World Series in Laredo, Texas.

Head Coach Ernesto Hernandez and his team have had a successful season in order to qualify for the tournament.

“They had to play three tournaments,” Hernandez said. “That was the Regional Tournament, Sectional Tournament and the Director’s Tournament. But, the way everything played out, there weren’t enough teams, so everyone made the World Series.”

Despite automatically qualifying for the World Series, Hernandez said he didn’t let the Rattlers know right away.

“One of the things that I didn’t tell the team was that they had already qualified,” Hernandez said. “I wanted them to work for it. So with them not knowing that they qualified, they worked harder, and their drive increased during practice, to go out there and compete. They wanted to make the tournament so bad that it pushed them.”

The Rattlers drive and passion have helped them throughout the season, including winning the Austin Regional Championship this season.

In another tournament, San Marcos faced an early elimination, before finding their way back into the championship game.

“What makes this team special is the way they play,” Hernandez said. “There was a tournament where we were down in the very beginning. We won our first games in pool play, but we didn’t win the first game in bracket play during a double elimination tournament. So, we had to win out for the rest of the way, to play in the championship. I told them that they need to pull through and battle back.”

A key to the Rattlers success has been their teamwork.

“It’s honestly the chemistry,” Hernandez said. “Some of the girls have been here from last year’s team, and I’ve coached them from T-ball all the way to now. They know how I coached them before, and they know to play with their teammates. Their chemistry makes things a lot easier.”

However, a big challenge the All-Stars have faced this season has been themselves.

“It was definitely being their own critic,” Hernandez said. “With them playing, there were a few mistakes made. I don’t think they had ever faced that type of adversity before, where they had to work through their issues. So, when they made a mistake, they got inside their own head quickly.”

But Hernandez has taught the team the importance of rebounding from a bad play.

“I taught them that mistakes happen in a game all the time, and this game is a game of failure,” Hernandez said. “You are not going to be perfect every game. For them, it’s understanding that mistakes happen, and what I do afterwards to make up for that mistake. They have overcome that very well.”

For Hernandez, one of the ways he helps is relating the problems his team faces, from a similar point of view.

“I try talking to them from a personal perspective,” Hernandez said. “You are going to make mistakes in normal life. I tell them that there are players who are making millions of dollars in the major leagues who make the exact same mistakes you do. They are human, so you don’t worry about making mistakes as long as you are learning and overcoming them when it happens again.”

San Marcos competes at the Pony League World Series July 10-15.

cmcwilliams@sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc