‘A great ride’

The Johnston Little League Expos team took home the league Majors championship back in June, and they haven’t slowed down as they recently headed to town hall to make an appearance with Mayor Joseph Polisena.
The Expos completed a perfect 18-0 season and saw multiple players compete in the all-star tournament in the weeks after. It has been a Johnston tradition over the years for the champs to visit the mayor, similar to professional teams making the trip to the White House to see the president.
Expos manager Joe Splendorio was thankful for the treatment he and his team received from Polisena and his staff.
“They were great, we didn’t have to do a thing. It was a warm welcome for us and the parents, they were awesome. It’s really cool for the mayor to do that. Some people don’t know this about him, but he’s a big baseball guy. He’s a historian for baseball. He had a conversation with the kids about baseball and it opened their eyes. That was something that they’ll always remember,” said Splendorio.
Along with general baseball talk, Polisena delivered words of wisdom to the players on being good citizens in their community.
“Try to do the best you can to help others. It might seem like a small problem, but in reality, it might be a huge problem and you can help,” said Splendorio of the mayor’s message.
The Expos’ championship win was the end of an era, as most of the players had been together since they were 7 years old. That experience and continuity allowed them to get the job done this past season, according to Splendorio.
“I had most of these kids since they were 7, in the minor leagues when I drafted them. To see them become the ball players that they became, it set a precedent with the league that this is what can be done with hard work. They really lived up to the hype. They didn’t fold. They played 18 games and were rock solid. They never caved,” said Splendorio.
Splendorio will also be stepping away from his manager role moving forward and will miss the players that he considers to be family.
“It’s a little bittersweet. The worst things as a coach are cutting a player and seeing kids age out. You don’t see them as often as you did. It’s a sad time not being able to see these kids because they become your family,” Splendorio said. “People don’t realize it, but it’s tough on coaches. You form such great bonds. But, it’s been a great ride. If you have time to volunteer as a coach, it’s one of the most gratifying things you can do.”