The Little League World Series is known for well-manicured playing facilities.
And part of the credit for this year's ideal field conditions has to go to a man with local ties.
Chris Lessig, a 1980 Kiski Area graduate, is part of the grounds crew that takes care of the LaMade Stadium and Volunteer Stadium playing surfaces in Williamsport.
Lessig, who lives in Manheim Township near Lancaster, has worked on the Little League World Series fields the past nine years. He said it's a yearlong process. Officials will start evaluating the fields in September for next year's tournament.
"We try to stay ahead of things," Lessig said. "You have to be aware of weather conditions, turf diseases and insect problems. You want to have safe and aesthetically pleasing fields."
Don't think for a minute the crew sits back and enjoys their handiwork.
"We're our own worst critics. There are always some imperfections," Lessig said, with a laugh.
By day, Lessig heads the Manheim Parks Department and is responsible for 15 different parks that include baseball and softball fields, golf courses and boat launches. Before heading east, Lessig was an umpire and a manager with the Vandergrift Little League.
Schmitt medals
Pittsburgh native Allison Schmitt, niece of retired Deer Lakes athletic director Jan McDowell, brought home a bronze medal from the Beijing Olympics.
Schmitt, 18, won the bronze in the 800-meter swimming relay and finished fifth in the 200 freestyle semifinals.
She was born in Magee-Women's Hospital and lived in McCandless before her family moved to Canton, Mich., outside of Detroit.
Before finishing strong in the Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb., Schmitt rewrote the Michigan high school swimming record book. She's now a freshman at Georgia.
Schmitt's older brother, Derek, swims for Pitt.
Lefevre dies
Former Tarentum High School football standout Al Lefevre died recently in Brookville.
He was 65.
Lefevre, a 1961 Tarentum graduate, was a star quarterback for the Redcats. He was named All-WPIAL and Alle-Kiski Back of the Year by the Tarentum Valley Daily News in 1960.
Lefevre went on to play football at Clarion, where he graduated with a degree in speech pathology in 1965.
He was the head football coach at Brookville High School from 1968-82. His teams won Little 10 Conference titles in 1970 and '71 and was named conference Coach of the Year in 1969 and '70.
During his 35 years on the Brookville faculty, Lefevre was head and assistant golf coach from 1965-99, when he led the Raiders to three conference titles, and he also was an assistant boys basketball coach.
When he returned to Clarion to coach, he led the Golden Eagles to two conference golf championships and finished as the conference runner-up four times. He was the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Golf Coach of the Year in 2006.
Lefevre is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and sons, Scott and Doug.
Memorials can be made to the Pinecrest Country Club, 29 West Pinecrest Lane, Brookville 15825 or to the Clarion men's golf program, 840 Wood St., Clarion 16214.
