China Spring baseball celebrates state title at championship parade

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Food trucks, snow cones, and tricked out Jeeps. That’s how the China Spring Cougars celebrated their recent 4A State Baseball Championship with a parade held at the high school baseball field.

It’s been a long time since China Spring has taken home a baseball title, 23 years to be exact. It’s been even longer since head coach Cory Beckham has won a state title in the baby blue. The former Cougar won a state championship as a player back in 1989.

Even though he has a few titles as a head coach at West, Beckham has always had dreams to coach a championship team at his alma mater. At Monday night’s parade though. Beckham was only thinking about one thing.

“Tonight it’s all about the players and this team,” sad Beckham. “I want to do everything I can to promote them and their success because this team is going to be a team that is remembered forever.”

The state championship parade had a huge turnout for a Monday night in the middle of June. Former players, family members, and friends of the China Spring community gathered to honor one of the program’s best seasons in it’s history.

The players who were in attendance made memories while they did their best to take it all in, giving thanks to everyone who supported the team.

“It’s been amazing, they’ve been behind us all year,” said senior catcher Jase Garrett. “To have them here one last time, especially leaving for college, to celebrate one last time, it’s just great.”

“It’s nice having everyone supporting you,” said pitcher and infielder JC Hughes. “You know that they’re all there for you. It’s incredible to see everybody out here tonight, especially all the food trucks.”

Coach Beckham was a huge fan of the parade celebration, and only hopes to do it all again next year.

“Things are a little bigger now, we didn’t have a parade or anything (in 1989). Hopefully this will be a tradition that continues each year.”

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