More than 170 teams and over 2,000 players, ages 5 to 18, have traveled to Portland, Texas, to compete in the 2026 National Championship Sports South Coast World Series.The event has grown into an international competition, draw ing players and families to the Coastal Bend for a week of youth baseball. Throughout the week, players have competed in pool games, skills competitions and pin and card trading. Youth baseball championship brings more than 2,000 players to PortlandWith state-of-the-art fields and a community that embraces the sport, Portland has quickly built a reputation as one of Texas' growing hubs for youth baseball.Diego Flores, a player with Da Boyz 11U, shared his thoughts on competing in Portland."It's pretty nice. The fields are nice. I like the environment," Flores said.Josiah Sommer of Texas Prime Time also weighed in on the experience."Pretty good. It's not really that hot here," Sommer said.Sommer's team also brought extra motivation to the field: a chain awarded to players who hit a home run."The TPT chain. If they hit a home run, they get this chain," Sommer said.Arian Lopez of the STX Dirtbags, who dyed his hair for the tournament, explained his inspiration."Because I wanna look like the football players," Lopez said.For many parents, getting to Portland takes time, travel and commitment. But they say seeing their kids take the field makes it all worthwhile.Debra Flores, Diego's mother, described what the event means to her family."This is what we look forward to all year long, so it feels great to be here," Flores said. "It's a beautiful town here in Portland. They enjoy the water, they enjoy just being here and bonding with each other."Some families go all out to show their support. Edith Robles, Josiah's mother, described how her group cheers on the players."We all have different types of shirts," Robles said. "We got different earrings, we have different hats that we wear, just to support the kids. We do pins as well. It just hypes them up, you know, seeing their face on our shirts, screaming, yelling."For many of the kids who compete, a trip to Portland becomes a memory that lasts long after the final out. Diego summed up his week simply."I got MVP," Flores said.The tournament continues through Sunday with bracket play and the championship still ahead. ...read more read less