Cypress High’s Sheila “Moma Web” with Coach John Weber. (Photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
Cypress High’s baseball team will be accompanied on the bus to Dodger Stadium Saturday by one of the most important persons in the program.
Coach John Weber’s mother, Sheila, will be on the bus that will take the Centurions to the CIF Division 1 championship game against Harvard Westlake.
To see the slide show, please click on the first photo
PHOTO: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone
PHOTO: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone
PHOTO: Courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone
Sheila, known as “Mama Web” has been supporting her son, the head coach, and the players for the 14 years that he has been the coach.
Moma Web was thrilled when she saw Cypress push across the game winner Tuesday.
“I love it, I think it’s long over-due,” she said after Cypress advanced Tuesday with a 1-0 victory over La Mirada. “This would be his third one (title). I really think the boys deserve it. They really did well this year.
“It’s just amazing, because they worked really hard. It was just a nail biter game. I was pacing because my stomach was in a knot. But when that ball went that way and it was so close to going over the wall (a double by Peter Werth which won it) I was thinking, ‘thank you Lord’ because they deserve it, they really do. And John has worked hard with these kids and they’ve gone through a lot for at least three years together.”
Moma Web is a big part of the team handling a number of behind the scenes duties and providing support for the players from her view in the dugout.
“She’s so nervous all the time,” Coach Weber said. “Her and my dad, they come to every ball game. They have the team dinners and I don’t get invited, my mom gets invited. She loves baseball, she took me to baseball when I was a little boy. She loves it and she’s at every game.
“She travels everywhere. She rode my car to Capo Valley. If we are playing far, she will drive with me. She will be on the bus (Saturday). She has nicknames for the kids; she’s got certain hugs for them and certain handshakes for all of them.”
Mama Web was in the dugout when Cypress won CIF Division 2 titles in 2005 and 2013 and now, she’s hoping and praying for a third.
She remembers when her son, who coached in college for 10 years and semi-pro in Alaska for five years, took over the Cypress program.
“He told me ‘I’m only going to do this for five years,'” she recalled. “He’s really happy here.”
Sheila, who has 18 grandchildren, said she is enjoying her life.
“I couldn’t be happier,” she said.
One more victory would make her even happier.
“I said my prayers for three days that they really deserved this,” she said. “John has worked hard. He really deserves it.”
The players know they can count on Moma Web for support.
Cameron Repetti, one of the aces of the Cypress staff, said Mama Web brings lots of energy to the team.
Throughout the season, Moma Web has had one simple message, Repetti said.
“She has this necklace with rings of 2005 and 2013 and she goes, ‘bring me one more, one more,'” Repetti said.
RELATED STORIES ON CYPRESS HIGH’S PURSUIT OF A TITLE
-Cameron Repetti talks about what lies ahead for Centurions
-Cypress wins thrilling semifinal in the ninth inning
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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