Photo by Joe Imel/Daily News Brian Sewell, father of Bowling Green East 11- and 12-year-old team member Hunter Sewell, loads the car Wednesday at Kereiakes Park before a caravan departs for the Little League Great Lakes Regional in Indianapolis.

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Being a Bowling Green East Little League All-Star comes at a price, but the memories have been priceless.

The East 11- and 12-year-old team headed to Indianapolis on Wednesday in preparation for Friday’s opening game against Illinois in the Great Lakes Regional Tournament. Hitting the road has become awfully common for East All-Stars and their parents.

They’re familiar with the Natcher Parkway, because they played five straight days in Owensboro for the area tournament. The state tournament took East to Louisville, where they stayed for five games before earning a bid to the Great Lakes Regional.

“It’s not bad,” East All-Star Quentin Cooke said. “We get to go back to hotels or wherever and swim, go to sleep and wake back up.”

However, it can be tough on the parents’ wallets.

Quentin Cooke’s father, Joey, estimated the family spent $1,000 in Louisville for five days on hotel, food, gas and entertainment.

But considering his son Quentin and the East All-Stars are one tournament championship from playing in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., the price is worth it.

“It is expensive, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Joey Cooke said. “It’s the only shot you’re going to have.”

The Cooke family isn’t alone.

Others have to find a way to manage finances during the postseason run - but stress it’s a rare opportunity.

“It’s indescribable and it’s just amazing,” said Kerrie McDaniel, mother of All-Star Christopher. “There’s a lot of expenses and all the little incidentals add up, but it’s worth it.”

Teresa Hayes, mother of Devin, said, “You’ll do what you have to do. It’s definitely a big commitment, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so you cough up the money and you cough up the time.”

One key is planning ahead.

Because most members of the squad were 11-year-old state champions last year, aspiring for another state championship wasn’t out of the question.

But unlike the 11-year-old age group, where postseason ends with the state tournament, the 11-12 tournament includes a regional tournament and World Series.

“You think about and you plan (ahead),” Kerrie McDaniel said. “You kind of put things back. We haven’t done a big vacation this summer. (Owensboro, Louisville, Indianapolis and hopefully Williamsport) may be it.”

Having a flexible work schedule or understanding bosses also helps too. Assistant coach Greg Sibalich had 20 days of vacation available from his engineering job.

“I saved a lot in anticipation for this,” Sibalich said.

McDaniel is a biology teacher at Western Kentucky University. Classes start Aug. 25, the day after the final game of the Little League World Series, so she should be in the clear. She’s spent off time completing syllabi.

“My schedule is great and I’ve got a lot of support administratively,” she said.

Teresa Hayes also had 22 vacation days from work as a human resources professional at a printing company.

“I’ve got six left and I have other people willing to donate,” Teresa Hayes said. “I haven’t missed an inning.”

Her husband, Junior, has some work conflicts. He’s a physical education teacher at three Bowling Green schools. School begins Tuesday, when Devin and the All-Stars are playing in Indianapolis.

Junior Hayes is also an assistant football coach at Bowling Green High School and practice has begun.

“Coach (Kevin) Wallace is totally supportive,” Junior said. “He says it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing and he understands. If it was his kid, he’d be there too. But teachers want to be there for the first day.”

Junior Hayes doesn’t want to miss school, but the All-Stars aren’t complaining. It also provides them a bit of extra juice.

“All the boys are missing school and that’s their motivation,” Teresa Hayes joked. “Devin is already doing his algebra homework. But all the schools have been very good.”