SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — As Coeur d’Alene watched the Little League World Series come to a close over the weekend, the most important part of the team’s trip might not have had anything to do with baseball.

As a young second lieutenant in the Marines, Coeur d’Alene manager Sean Cherry was required to read a book called “Killer Angels” that focused on the four days of the Battle of Gettysburg. After completing the book, Cherry, then a 23-year-old second lieutenant in the Marines, went to Gettysburg to get a feel for what took place there and was moved.

“We were required to read a book called ‘Killer Angels’ and then we were actually tested on it and talked about it,” Cherry said. “We then walked the grounds for a day and talked about the military aspect and the sacrifice that the country took for winning that battle.”

After being eliminated from the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Cherry, who served 14 years in the Marine Corps and attained the rank of Major, decided to take his players to Gettysburg in an effort to get them to appreciate the sacrifices made on the patch of land that stretches 3,965 acres.

“There’s nothing like seeing the place where history happened,” Cherry said. “It’s a very moving trip when you’re in the military and facing potential war.”

Cherry’s initial trip was right at the start of the first Gulf War and he was facing a very real chance of deployment. As somebody willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his country, Cherry was moved by the grounds at Gettysburg.

There wouldn’t be nearly as much on the line Friday as the team made its trip. It was an effort to get the players to simply appreciate the trip and benefits that have come with being one of the final eight Little League teams in the U.S.

Little League was quick to help the Coeur d’Alene team as it chartered a bus for the kids and helped arrange the trip.

“Along with a once-in-a-lifetime experience of playing in the Little League Baseball World Series, one of the great opportunities for the 16 teams from around the world is to go out and explore the exciting attractions in and around the Williamsport area,” Little League International Director of Media Relations Kevin Fountain said. “From trips to Major League Baseball games to educational tours of historic landmarks, Little League International works to coordinate travel for those teams interested in taking a trip so they can enjoy a memorable experience with their coaches and teammates.”

The moment was touching for Cherry as the realities of sacrifice surrounded him. He had a deeper understanding of the losses it took for people to enjoy the freedoms some take for granted in our country.

The trip opened the eyes of a young 23-year-old Marine about to embark on a journey that would shape his life. Cherry has served his country and now, in an effort to give back even more, he attempted to give his players a similar experience as they headed to Gettysburg.

“We’re going to take in some of the local sites,” Cherry said before the trip. “We are taking a run to Gettysburg. Kind of a little forced fun to educate the kids. Show them some of the things they don’t get to see living in the West. We’re going to take that opportunity to do that and hopefully their history teacher appreciates that from us.”

The ultimate goal is to help his players get a deeper understanding about how fortunate they are to be playing baseball at the highest level of Little League.

“We live out West and there’s history there, but there’s not old history there,” Cherry said. “These guys need to understand that a lot of people have made a lot of sacrifices for these kids to live the way they do.”

Cherry, along with the rest of his family, was also given an opportunity to visit with his son Reilly, who is enrolled in the United States Merchant Marine Academy King’s Point in Great Neck Long Island, N.Y. Reilly also is the catcher for the baseball team.

Over the first weekend of the Series, Reilly and Cherry’s uncle Richard Gugleilmetti came down to cheer the team on and support Sean and his son Avrey, a member of the Coeur d’Alene team.

It was an extra special moment for the Coeur d’Alene manager as he got to visit with his older son and spent time with the person responsible for his love of baseball and coaching.

“Reilly and my uncle, who got me involved with baseball at a young age, came over for the weekend,” Cherry said. “They were able to watch our game Friday and Saturday last weekend.”

Besides getting educated on the country’s history and playing in front of the world in Williamsport, the Coeur d’Alene players built lasting friendships with the players around them.

They were especially close with the team from Honolulu, Hawaii, after spending the regional tournament when them. They have bonded with the group and will be pulling for them in the championship game today against Seoul, South Korea (noon, KXLY).

“They are all super nice and funny,” Christopher Reynolds said of the West team. “They are all enthusiastic.”

The bonds formed throughout the West and Northwest regional tournaments as teams lived next to each other for the week. There were games played throughout the tournament that just seemed to carry over into the Series in Williamsport.

“In San Bernardino during the region tournament we were connected with them,” Braeden Newby said. “When we both won we partied with them in the bathroom and their rooms.”

The groups knew they would be seeing each other again as they prepared to play in Williamsport. The bonds were on full display as Sean Cherry, Christopher Reynolds, Newby and Avrey Cherry explained who they would be cheering for the rest of the Series.

“We’re going to stay until Monday and everybody is really excited to see how this thing shakes out,” Sean Cherry said. “We’re really pulling for the West. We’re really good friends with the coaching staff and some of the kids have become good friends with the players on the team. We’re here until Monday to root those guys on.”