Waterford - They are of the male gland, ages: 21, 20, 20. Home for the summer from college. Which would mean they'd spend time with a summer job stashing cash or with their feet up on the beach watching the, you know, scenery.

But then, they're Waterford guys. That means baseball before all. Like Bogart's line about a hot dog at the ballpark beats a steak at the Ritz. And who has time for Amber and waves anyway when there's countless trips to Norwalk and Newtown during road construction season with barely adolescent boys who already blew one chance at a championship?

Turns out Dan Santos, Lucas Beaney and Matt Johnson are having the summer of their lives after all.

They are the coaches of the 13-year-old Waterford Babe Ruth baseball team - state champs, New England champs - headed to the hamlet of Glen Allen, Va. next week by train for the World Series. Yes, Virginia. The Waterfords are comin'.

"They're good kids. And they're baseball guys," said Waterford Babe Ruth president Bob Bono, who probably owns articles of clothing older than his newest coaches. "They've seen older kids who have come back and coached. I think they try to emulate them."

They sure do. They speak fondly of Kevin Irvine and Robbie Bono, who came back to coach while they were in college. And yet not even their mentors endured a summer like this. A summer that nearly wasn't. That's because Waterford lost to East Lyme in the District 6 championship game. Season over. Kaput.

They had no idea at the time that an at-large berth would open for the state tournament in Norwalk.

"I was at a Legion game and Danny texted me that we might get into states," Johnson, an assistant coach, said. "I was like, 'yeah, whatever. I'm done with this.' But then I got excited."

Santos, the manager, coached with Waterford Babe Ruth 14-year-old head coach Joe Mariani during the regular season. He didn't necessarily channel his inner Rockne, but does recall telling his kids of the second chance, "'We're taking 11 guys to Norwalk. You either want in or want out. Second chances don't come too often.' They took the challenge."

They're taking it all the way to Virginia.

"We've known each other most of our lives," Santos said. "We know our strengths and weaknesses as coaches. Matt talks through almost every pitch with the pitchers. Luke is the funny guy. He keeps them loose. We've meshed."

Even the most ardent Waterford baseball hater (and the line forms to the right) would like them. They see beyond their self-interests, understanding the significance of educating the kids who have come after them by imparting the lessons derived from those who came before them.

Then there's this: They have no familial bonds to any player. This isn't daddy coaching. This is completely merit based. As Geno Auriemma likes to say: "If you're good, you'll play. If you suck, you won't."

"We probably relate better to them," Beaney said. "I think they know that we have their best interests. All of them. As opposed to a father who might have his son's best interest first."

Mariani coached the 14s with no son in the program. Same goes for Dave Laffey, who has the 15s close to the World Series, as well.

Bono: "Our goal is to try to get people who aren't coaching their kids. It doesn't preclude parents from coaching, but it certainly takes out a lot of the political mess a coach can get into. People just make a lot of comments. This takes away so much of that stuff."

Now the summer rolls on, a southbound odyssey nobody ever saw coming. This would make quite the "how I spent my summer vacation" essay.

"I loved playing in this league. It's the most fun I've ever had playing baseball," Johnson said. "I've always wanted to be involved somehow. It's something about Waterford."

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.