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Little League coach: Inspiring postgame speech 'came spontaneously'

When coach Dave Belisle warmed hearts nationwide with an inspiring speech on Monday to his Rhode Island team after a loss in the Little League World Series, not a word of it was rehearsed. "It came spontaneously,'' Belisle said on TODAY Wednesday. "It was our last game of the year, and I certainly wanted the boys to leave that field as proud as could be. When I was doing that speech, I didn't kno

When coach Dave Belisle warmed hearts nationwide with an inspiring speech on Monday to his Rhode Island team after a loss in the Little League World Series, not a word of it was rehearsed. 

"It came spontaneously,'' Belisle said on TODAY Wednesday. "It was our last game of the year, and I certainly wanted the boys to leave that field as proud as could be. When I was doing that speech, I didn't know it was miked. 

"It came out of my heart. I wanted them to know that that scoreboard said 8-7, but actually it was a victory. I just wanted to make sure that when they left this field, they were very proud and everybody was proud of them back home. They made my summer a summer that I will always remember. That's what basically came out."

Belisle's postgame speech after a one-run loss that ended Rhode Island's season was captured by ESPN cameras and left many in tears who watched it. He stressed the pride the team created for their hometown and home state with their great tournament run and thanked them for taking him on the ride to Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  

"You had the whole place jumping,'' he said in his speech. "You had the whole state jumping. You had New England jumping. You had ESPN jumping. Because you want to know why? They like fighters. They like sportsmen. They like guys that don't quit. They like guys that play the right way.

Dave Belisle
Today

"We got down to the nitty-gritty. We're one of the best teams in the world. Think about that for a second — the world!" 

Many of the players, ages 11 to 13, were trying to stifle tears at having their season ended while Belisle was delivering his uplifting speech on the outfield grass. 

"I really don't know how I didn't cry because basically the tears were already being shed,'' Belisle said. "I said to them, and I really meant it, that the only time I'm going to cry is when this whole thing is over. I didn't cry, but I certainly was crying inside. Believe me, when I left the (ESPN) camera, I've been shedding tears knowing that my time with them is very limited now." 

Follow TODAY.com writer Scott Stump on Twitter and Google+.