DESTREHAN, LA — Reece Roussel said he had no idea what was waiting for him Tuesday morning when he returned to school at Saint Charles Borromeo in Destrehan. He was told to report to the gym. And that’s where the entire student body was waiting for him.
The kids made poster and chanted “twenty-two, twenty-two, twenty-to” which is Reece’s jersey number on his baseball team.
But it’s not just any baseball team, and Reece isn’t just any player. His Eastbank All-Stars team won the Little League national title on Saturday by defeating Hawaii and then the world title by shutting-out Curacoa on Sunday. Reece set a new LLWS record for the number of hits during the tournament.
The team returned Monday afternoon for a welcoming home celebration at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center. There’s also a parade schedule for Saturday morning at 11:00. It starts at Veterans and Bonnabel boulevards and ends near Severn Avenue.
The teammates attend different schools. Reece is the only one at Saint Charles Borromeo, and he was the focus of a lot of love, attention, and admiration on Tuesday.
The cheerleaders were waving pom-poms and the kids in the bleachers were doing the wave. Reece told WGNO that it’s been a crazy ride for the team.
“So many people yelling at me, ‘Can you sign my ball?’ Some people wanted me to sign their phones. It’s crazy,” Reece said.
The students were also treated to Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups to help celebrate Reece’s victorious return. But it’s not all fun. Back to school means back to the books, and Reece has plenty of homework to makeup.
“But I saw a little bit of it. And it doesn’t look that good. But I think I’m going to be able to get it done,” Reece said. “Yes, it was definitely worth it.”