Few managers take their teams to baseball's Little League World Series more than once - but Vito Bordignon is an exception.
Bordignon, manager of Canadian champion Hastings all-stars of Vancouver, is cherishing his second chance at a world title in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, this year after getting there initially in 2009.
"It seems like the first time," Bordignon said Wednesday via telephone from Williamsport before his team took part in a parade. "It's a new experience for all these kids. I'm lucky to have a second time to come here. It's a great experience. We've been treated like royalty, and the kids are having a great time. It's the mecca of all of baseball right now."
Bordignon, a 46-year-old controller with a construction-equipment distributor, is among countless volunteers who attempt to grow the game in Canada and other parts of the world. He grew up and played Little League in the Hastings community, a working-class neighbourhood located in Vancouver's East End near the Pacific National Exhibition grounds.
Although he lives in Port Coquitlam and works in nearby Coquitlam, he continues to make a long commute for games and practices to Hastings, where he has guided clubs for 28 years. He has three provincial titles and two national crowns to his credit.
Unlike many other Little League coaches, Bordignon has no children of his own who have played the game. He has kept coaching just for the love of the game and the chance to see his players develop memories.
"It's an unbelievable feeling to see these kids gain this kind of experience - once in a lifetime - because you can't see this anywhere else."
Vancouver-Hastings is one of 16 teams from around the globe that have advanced to the tournament that draws thousands to Williamsport, a small city of about 30,000. Bordignon has returned to the Little League shrine by guiding a whole new crew of 11 and 12-yearolds to an 18-1 record in district, provincial and national championship play.
Hastings qualified by beating Prairie representative Lethbridge Southwest 11-1 in the Canadian final in Edmonton last weekend.
During Bordignon's first visit to Williamsport, his club did not make it out of the group stage of the International pool. The task will not be any easier this time as Vancouver-Hastings opens play Friday against Mexico, a three-time champion.
"We don't know a lot about them," said Bordignon. "But we do know that, traditionally, Mexico is a strong team."
