Gold Coast Cougars coach and pilot Klae Calvert to fly side to Little League World Championships

IN one of the most intriguing sports stories of the year, Gold Coast Cougars baseball coach and Virgin Airlines pilot Klae Calvert will fly his under-12 troops to their world title shot.

GOLD Coast Cougars coach Klae Calvert is flying high — in more ways than one — after steering the Gold Coast Cougars to the Australian under-12 baseball title last month.

The former Australian representative works as a pilot for Virgin Airlines and will be flying the plane that takes the Cougars to the Little League World Championships in the US city of Williamsport from August 16-26.

Gold Coast Cougars coach Klae Calvert (far right) will fly the team to the Little League World Championships in the US this month. Picture: Mike Batterham

ROUND BALL ROUND UP PODCAST

“I’m just flying it one way over there for them so that’ll be neat. I can give them a good announcement before we go on the PA so that’s pretty special for me too to be able to do that,” the 42-year-old said.

A one-time pitcher for the now-defunct Gold Coast Cougars in the ABL, Calvert played professionally in the US for 12 years before retiring in 2006.

MEET THE OVERSEAS STARS LIGHTING UP GOLD COAST FOOTBALL

He said his young charges would be swept up in the high-stakes world of US baseball on their trip abroad.

“We leave on the 9th and then get to acclimatise for five days or so but in that time (the kids) do all the TV commercials, guest appearances and there’s a whole bunch of stuff they have to do (before the tournament).

COAST CHAMPS EYEING BIGGER PRIZE

“Every single game is televised live on ESPN and there’s anywhere from 10 to 30,000 people come and watch them play live.”