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That pleasure doesn't have to end when school lets out, not with what Gaithersburg Post 295 manager Rick Price has done in 25 years as the American Legion baseball team's first and only manager.

During that quarter century, Price, a graduate of Wheaton High, has produced six Montgomery Division regular-season titles, eight Montgomery Division tournament championships and three Maryland state crowns. He added to all three of those totals this summer to propel Post 295 (39-3) into this week's eight-team, double-elimination Mid-Atlantic Region 2 tournament in Colonial Heights, Va.

This summer's squad could be, in fact, the finest of his lengthy tenure, rivaling his 2003 and '04 squads that captured back-to-back state championships. Those teams featured Baltimore Orioles prospect Brian Conley and University of Maryland slugger Jensen Pupa, among others.

"It's definitely up there," said Price, who also placed second in the state in 1999 and 2005. "Anybody would be hard pressed to hit with that '03-04 group. That was a wonderful group of hitters, but this team is deeper in pitching. Both teams play great defense."

Gaithersburg enters Thursday's regional opener riding an eight-game postseason win streak, by a combined score of 94-36. The team features a lethal combination of a heavy-hitting lineup (.358 batting average, 414 runs and 31 home runs) and a stingy pitching staff (1.65 earned-run average, 288 strikeouts).

Price's squads have qualified for the Montgomery Division playoffs every year except one (1991) since the late 1980s, and won the four-team tournament in 1990, ‘92, '99 and from 2003-06. Post 295 is irrefutably the county's premier American Legion program this decade.

Price has done it through a combination of his longevity and the consistency of his staff, the ability to keep Post 295's large talent base intact, his managerial abilities in games and practices and his knack for creating close-knit groups who are dedicated and ready to play from start to finish.

Consistency at the managerial position has largely escaped the county's other Legion squads. Damascus Post 171 has had three different managers in three years; Cissel Saxon Post 41 went on hiatus in 2006 because it had no manager at all.

Post 41 and Gaithersburg Post 104 have also been managed by three different coaches this decade, while Rockville Post 86 could not field a team this year because of a lack of interest.

Not so for Post 295. In Price's 25 years, assistant coach Clint Davenport has been at his side for the last 24. Statistician and scout Andy Hoy has been around since 1998.

"We've been doing it for so many years, we know what needs to be done," Davenport said. "Most other American Legion teams, a kid's father has it for a year or two, and the kids know we're not going to play favorites. That happens when fathers are coaching the team. We just try to teach them to play the game right; we try to pick the kids who love the game and they want to play every day."

Getting college players to return has been key for Post 295, especially this year. The pitching staff is led by Division I hurlers Charlie Cononie (Towson) and Matt Sliwiak (Davidson). Conley was one of a handful of college players who returned in 2004 to lead Post 295 to back-to-back state crowns.

"Every year, it's a combination of coach Price, who is a good coach, and getting good players," said Conley, who now plays for the Bluefield Orioles, Baltimore's rookie-level squad. "I guess sometimes he'll be fortunate when all of a sudden [he inherits talented players], but you've got to be able to coach them and put them in positions they need to be playing. I loved playing for Coach Price."

Hoy believes Price, who pitched for Montgomery College-Takoma Park after graduating from Wheaton, inspires passionate play and commitment from his players with his ability to keep things enjoyable through a long season that comes on the heels of lengthy spring campaigns.

Post 295's opponents in this year's Montgomery Division playoffs struggled even to field full squads. Vacations and burnout did not affect Price's team, however.

"One of the keys to Rick's success is that he has a great ability to make playing for the legion team a lot of fun," Hoy said. "He practices the team hard but he allows the kids the opportunity to have fun at practice. … I think that kids stay with the team because it is a great blend of fun and excellence on the field. They enjoy themselves and they all love playing for Rick."

Knowing Post 295 had a chance to be good this summer brought former Quince Orchard High and current Salisbury University infielder-pitcher Kyle Judson back to Gaithersburg. The team also picked up St. John's College (D.C.) products Jeff Flax and Mike Loeb.

"He basically lets the players play," said Judson, the team's starting second baseman. "He doesn't try to overcoach us, [but] when it comes to close games, he knows what to do. He's a coach who says a lot about loyalty with his players so the players feel like the coach has loyalty in us."

The team draws from the Quince Orchard, Northwest and Seneca Valley High clusters, a large and talent-rich area. Price helps inspire loyalty by keeping in touch with players during the year, including watching them during the high school season and organizing team dinners throughout the year.

"A lot of hard work has created an atmosphere of excellence around this team, and the players in our recruiting area look forward to their opportunity to try out for Post 295," Hoy said.

Don't look for Post 295's dominance to end anytime soon, either. It added a junior legion squad this summer that finished second in division play.

"It's great as long as the kids are enthusiastic," Price said. "It's just a blast."