Keller @ Large: Little League Coach Cheers Us Up

BOSTON (CBS) - Let's interrupt our summer of seemingly unrelenting bad news for a word from the world of good news.

That would be the performance of Cumberland, Rhode Island Little League coach Dave Belisle, captured by ESPN cameras and microphones as he consoled his players after their season-ending loss in the Little League World Series.

Do yourself a favor and watch it.

First, the coach tells the teary players to take pride in the way they competed.

"We came to the last out," he says, " we didn't quit. That's us! Boys, that's us!"

Along with the expert team-building, Belisle is also out to build character.

They've captivated the nation, he explains to the kids, because the nation likes "fighters. They like sportsmen. If everyone would play baseball like the Cumberland Americans, this would be the greatest game."

And better grab those tissues when he tells the kids "it's OK to cry, because we're not going to play baseball together anymore. But we're going to be friends forever. You're all my boys. You're the boys of summer."

By this point it's clear Coach Dave Belisle is coaching at a very high level. As the 2014 Cumberland Americans gather for a final group hug and team cheer, the coach cracks a joke and you can hear laughter from some of the kids who were crying moments before.

If you're lucky, you probably know someone like this. There are a lot of good people who volunteer their time to make youth sports great for the kids.

But when you see a master in action, it's impressive.

Those Little Leaguers weren't the only ones Coach Belisle cheered up.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.

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