Roy Baunsgard sees the looks of pride in the young players faces when they sport their first real baseball jerseys.

“There’s an element of cool,” says this baseball dad, whose two boys, ages 7 and 10, play youth ball in the Valley. “They wear them around town, at school.”

Baunsgard, fundraising director for the Snoqualmie Valley Little League, said the youth league made it a point this year to provide new jerseys for the “farm league,” SVLL’s youngest players, ages 4 to 7.

With help from Valley sponsors that included a $500 donation from Chaplins North Bend Chevrolet, they traded in their three-quarters-sleeve shirts for the real deal. Those shirts are a big deal.

“We wanted to make the kids feel like they really belong to something,” Baunsgard said. “Kids buy into your program. They get something that they get to wear and be proud of. It builds a foundation for the future.”

The $500 donation was part of Chaplins’ effort to support local athletics through Chevy Youth Baseball.

“It doesn’t happen without sponsors,” Baunsgard said.

The jersey campaign was just one facet of the youth league that promotes the traditions, excitement and lessons of baseball for Valley youth.

Youth baseball gives children “an opportunity to be in a team environment, to play with other kids,” Baunsgard said. In Little League, kids learn work ethic, how to be part of a group. There can be tears and smiles.

“Sometimes you’re going to win, sometimes you lose,” he said. “You’ve got to learn how to deal with both.”

• You can learn more about Snoqualmie Valley Little League at www.svll.net/board.