Gold Stars or Demerits?

Do you listen to podcasts?  I listen to a LOT of them, almost entirely in my car.  One that I listen to pretty regularly is the Happier Podcast.  It features two sisters, one in New York and the other in Los Angeles.  Each episode they give themselves either a gold star or a demerit.  Gold star to give themselves (or someone else) a pat on the back and a demerit is a ding.  Own something you didn't do the way you wanted, fail, etc. 

So, today I'm going to give a Gold Star, but not to me.  My Gold Star goes to the Little League World Series team from Venezuela.  I'm a HUGE fan of the LLWS.  In fact, I should actually be on my way to Williamsport right now.  It's sort of always been planned that we would go when my son was 12.  Unfortunately, we have a family wedding next weekend in South Carolina, so it wasn't feasable to take two trips two weekends in a row and be out of school.  So...I watch on TV, again.

Anyhow...the country of Venezuela is in complete turmoil and only the team itself was able to go to Williamsport.  No parents, no friends, no additional family.  Just the team and coaches.  They were eliminated on Tuesday, but I'm giving them a Gold Star for making it and playing without any real support.  So....Venezuela Little League...this one's for you!