The Selvaggi family of Post Oak Little League have plenty of people they can count on.
Selvaggi family has had plenty of support on and off the field
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Ross Selvaggi II did not have to be concerned about how his son Ryan was coping with mixed emotions of playing at the Little League World Series.
The environment of a summer camp beyond the wildest dreams, instant stardom, national media exposure, the realization of one dream, the potential disappointment of missing another, and biggame pressure that would make some professional athletes quiver all converge for a week and a half in Williamsport.
Although parents watch their sons play, they spend little face-toface time with them during the Little League World Series.
Ross, however, was confident his boy would be just fine. He says that Wendy, his wife who died five years ago and was robbed of sharing such proud parental moments with him, made sure of that.
Faced with the potentially devastating prospect of not being able to watch her young boys grow up, Wendy Selvaggi made the most of her remaining time.
While others saw an incredible baseball skill set for a 12-year-oldboy, Ross proudly — and gratefully — saw something else when he watched Ryan play: a calm composure to match.
Mother’s influence strong
For that, he instantly points to Wendy, who died at age 43 in March 2013 well under a year after learning she had been stricken with small-cell lung cancer, even though, as Ross points out, she did not smoke.
“She had talks with them on outlooks on life: Don’t be afraid to succeed. Put everything you’ve got into something to succeed,” Ross said of his sons Ross III, now 17, and Ryan.
As an 8-year-old, first-year Little Leaguer a year after his mother’s death, Ryan was already looking ahead, unafraid of success. He made playing in Williamsport a goal “as soon I found out” that Post Oak Little League had an allstar team like those that played in the Little League World Series.
George Kugle and Richie Klosek were among his first teammates.
“I remember all these kids. We all played on Pee Wees,” Ryan said of the 9-year-old, machine-pitch league Post Oak runs. “It’s pretty cool that we all stayed together.”
By the time they were 10-yearolds, there was a feeling around Post Oak Little League that something special was brewing. They won the Texas East title, the highest a team can advance at that age level, and started a three-year battle for local supremacy with Pearland, which early on presents one of the toughest obstacles on the entire tournament trail.
After a loss to Pearland as 11year-olds, Post Oak made it all the way to Williamsport this year with Ryan leading the way.
“The national exposure that Ryan had is great, and I’m so proud, but the first thing that has to be pointed out is he’s here, he’s there, as part of a team,” Ross II said. “They all got each other there, from the first batter to the last batter.
“This doesn’t happen very often where you have so many strong players at the same time on a Little League all-star team. It’s quite a thing.”
Post Oak returned to Houston midweek after consecutive losses left the team tied for fifth out of eight teams in the U.S. bracket.
Post Oak suffered both of its losses by a single run, including one in extra innings to eventual U.S. finalist Peachtree City, Ga., when it was one out away from a three-run victory.
“With the losses Ryan has gone through through the years, he takes those all in stride,” Ross said. “As a family, we don’t sweat game losses.”
As a family, Ross II, Ross III and Ryan have learned full appreciation of being part of a team and a bigger support system.
Much of that is seen at Post Oak. Wendy was active in the program to the extent that her obituary included the suggestion that people consider donations to the league in lieu of “customary remembrances.”
There are ways that Ross said he is, five years later, still figuring out how best to proceed with his sons, managing what they have lost and honoring everything Wendy has given them. How often does he remind his sons how proud their mother would be of them? And how long do such conversations last?
“It was a fantastic situation that I was in for 20 years with my wife,” Ross said. “This is almost like a continuation. Your life goes on. We move forward. We don’t sit around moping.”
There has been help from many directions. At home in Houston, two aunts are often looking out for the Selvaggis — Aunt GG, Ross II’s older sister, Virginia Selvaggi, and Aunt Dee Selvaggi, his aunt and the boys’ great aunt.
Much of the other assistance can be seen in and around the baseball field, the one sport on which the family concentrates.
Ross III has already started two years as he begins his senior year at Houston Lamar High School as an NCAA Division I prospect.
Coaches a big help
The presence of coaches, including David Rook, David Wylie and John Klosek, who guided Post Oak through its run as Texas East and Southwest Regional champions, and teammates has helped in ways they many never realize.
“You see it in Ryan’s mannerisms,” Ross II said. “I don’t think he ever forgets for one moment that he’s not alone. You see that when he’s playing, and you see that when something goes on out on the field.”
Ross II is thankful to many people these days, from those he works with in warehouse logistics at Packwell to the people who fill the various roles within the Post Oak Little League.
The support was also visible in the bleachers at Lamade Stadium, where plenty of family and some neighbors made the trip. They got to see quite a show. In his final Little League game, Ryan went 4-for-4 with a homer, a triple, three runs scored and two RBIs.
For the series, Ryan struck out nine in 41⁄3 innings as a pitcher and was the team’s leading hitter. Ryan provided half of Post Oak’s extra-base hits with its only homer and two of its three triples, along with team-leading totals of five hits, four runs and three RBIs.
“You can’t move forward and say we’re here today and happy and successful without acknowledging everybody who got us there,” Ross II said. “You’ve got to have a whole group of people behind you.
“You can’t do it alone.”