There’s nothing quite like winning a gold medal on the world stage. From the final out to the dogpile that follows, the emotions run high and the memories become permanent.

USA Baseball’s 2025 12U National Team knows that feeling profoundly. After capturing the program's third consecutive gold medal at the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup in Taiwan last August, the 18 athletes who donned the red, white, and blue celebrated an accomplishment unlike any other.

But while winning is the gold standard for USA Baseball, the ultimate measure of a young player's journey isn't just about repeating past success, but rather how they carry that championship mindset into the opportunities ahead of them.

Fast forward nearly a year later, and several core pieces of that gold-medal roster have returned to where it all began: the USA Baseball National Training Complex. As the calendar rolls into summer, it marks the return of the prestigious Champs tournaments, bringing these decorated athletes full circle.

Now competing at the 13U level, three alumni are once again sharing a dugout, this time for Top Tier Select in the Champs NC tournament. AJ Elliott, Brock Bliss, and Davis Romejko hope to bring their leadership and experience to their squad and lead them to similar success.

All three had significant contributions throughout their gold medal run. Elliott started in all nine games, going 5-for-20 with six RBIs and four runs. Bliss led the team in wins as a starting pitcher (3), tied the team-high in innings pitched (9.1) and struck out seven. Romejko was nails on the mound as well, striking out six and allowing only one hit in 2.2 innings of work.

While these performances helped solidify them as world champions, the tournament ultimately served as a crucial learning experience.

Winning a gold medal is always the product of a much larger obligation for Team USA representatives. True signs of success are in the development of the players and how they grow through these opportunities. For Bliss, the international scale helped him explore areas within himself he wanted to improve.

“It helped me grow just by seeing what I needed to do to win against other teams and see what competition is like around the world.”

Capturing gold on the biggest stage was the ultimate goal, but for these three, doing it alongside a group of guys who became as close as family meant even more than the medal itself.

“It was very special,” Elliot said. “That’s a bond we will always have as a family and a USA national team.”

“It’s pretty special getting to see them and reunite with them again,” Romejko stated. “Most of us are from different states so we don’t get to see each other a lot. So to see them and see how they’ve developed is really special.”

What makes USA Baseball and its national teams so impactful is the development it places on the players in areas inside and outside of the game. Everyone who has the incredible opportunity to represent the stars and stripes all take away something of their own.

“I feel like I developed a lot, not just as a player but as a teammate too,” Romejko explained. “The coaches helped a lot along with being and playing with the best players in the country.”

It is undoubtedly an honor to be one of 18 selected to represent their country on the highest stage. Wearing that jersey often requires adopting a team-first mentality, something Elliott embraced through the little things on the field.

“Everything is earned. You have to earn your spot and earn your chances on the team, so just giving my all every time I step on the field. Whether it was backing up, making plays, throwing it home trying to get a guy out at home — just doing my part every game.”

Each team is selected for a variety of reasons, with each player bringing their own set of skills to the table. Trusting and knowing that they and their teammates have been selected for a purpose opens mental doors and allows them to play free and simply have fun.

“When I was on the mound I knew I had a defense behind me that would make plays,” Bliss said. “So I just kept throwing strikes and let them make a play.”

Time will tell whether or not this trio will repeat such success as they did repping their country, but for now, they are content focusing on the task at hand in North Carolina. Championships are won one game at a time, and with a gold medal already in their rearview mirror, these three are ready to take what they learned from their time in Taiwan with them throughout their baseball journeys.