Port Washington’s 12-and-under Little League team won the New York State Championship last Friday for the first time in the organization’s 63-year history
, and a self-imposed cell phone ban on game days is being credited with fueling their success.
The New York State champions cruised to a 10-3 victory over Lincoln, Rhode Island, in their first-ever Little League World Series regional game on Saturday evening
at
the Metro Regional tournament in Bristol, Connecticut
.
Port Washington captured the New York state championship with an 11-5 win over Mid Island of Staten Island on Friday, July 31, at Cesca Field in West Nyack
.
The All-Star team won the New York State Championship last Friday for the first time in PYA’s 63-year history
.
The phone ban began during the state championship tournament.
Port Washington finished the state tournament with a 4-1 record and earned New York’s spot in the regional tournament
. The coaches introduced the policy by collecting the boys’ devices before each game.
Jack Gomez, 12, third baseman, explained the impact. “It makes me focused on the game and not thinking about other stuff,” Gomez said. “Whenever we go on our phones, it makes you stimulated, and you’re just not focused for the day.”
Assistant coach Anthony Theoharis, whose two sons, Drew and Luca, play on the team, said his coaching approach will not change heading into the Metro Regionals. “We’re going to treat this just like any other baseball game,” Theoharis said.
Theoharis credited the phone ban with triggering a mental shift. “I think it’s like an on button for us,” he said during the source interview. “Once they do that, they get locked in, and they beat a team.”
The coach noted early resistance from the Gen Alpha players. “At first, it was like, ‘What!? Five hours!?'” Theoharis said. But the boys soon embraced the tradition.
“I don’t think we’ve lost yet, so it’s worked out,” Theoharis said of the phone ban’s results.
Gomez’s father, Neal Gomez, saw both humor and wisdom in the practice. He joked that he should get “a few buckets” for home. “Anytime you could put those phones down and let kids be kids and just play ball and have fun — that’s really what it’s all about,” he said.
The tweens discovered the five hours passed quickly. They bonded by playing homemade versions of “Family Feud” and other games rather than texting. “They just go back to basics and love talking to each other, having fun, being creative, hanging out in each other’s [hotel] rooms,” said Rikki Kien, the mother of shortstop Brandon Kien.
Kien continued praising the coaches’ approach. “Talking constantly about the game, talking about what’s happened so far this summer, and for sure, more natural face-to-face time with one another.”
The boys were not entirely tech-free during their championship run.
Carlo Cafferata entered in relief and shut the door, striking out six batters over the final three innings to help secure the state championship
. The team also played PlayStation 5 together at appropriate times in their Rockland County hotel.
They dedicated spare time to Wiffle Ball and other creative activities. The group even got kicked out of a pool for all going down a water slide together while celebrating their state title.
“They look forward to it these days. They’re like, ‘we’ll give you our phones,'” Theoharis said. “I’m like, ‘we’ve still got a little time. Enjoy it before we take it away.'”
In the viral moment that sparked the coverage, Theoharis spoke candidly about the phone ban’s success. The team had won the state championship using this unique approach in late July at the tournament in West Nyack, where they defeated
Mid Island of Staten Island with an 11-5 victory
. The coaches began collecting the boys’ devices five hours before first pitch and kept them until after the last out, creating a bonding ritual that coincided with the team’s undefeated regional run.
Port is now two wins away from Williamsport, Pa., and will play Monday in the winners bracket at 1 p.m.