LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- After winning over baseball fans across the country, the team from Louisville returned home as the Little League World Series champs.

The 12 players and their coaches shuffled off their chartered flight on Monday night looking worn from all the excitement.

"I'm used to the cameras by now,'' 12-year-old Aaron Alvey said just minutes after he stepped off the plane at Louisville International Airport. "We haven't really got that much rest. We had to wake up at 5 o'clock this morning to do interviews.''

Alvey, who also was the winning pitcher Sunday to follow up his nine-inning no-hitter last week in the U.S. semifinals, talked with "Good Morning America'' host and Louisville native Diane Sawyer on Monday. Alvey also appeared on "Today'' with teammate Casey Jordan, who caught a line drive to end the game against Japan, as well as manager Troy Osborne and coach Dan Roach.

Alvey also hit a first-inning home run as the Louisville team beat Sendai, Japan 1-0 on Sunday and claimed the world championship.

The win stirred Louisville and much of Kentucky into a Little League baseball frenzy.

From the airport, the team was whisked by bus to nearby Cardinal Stadium, where about 10,000 fans awaited them in the rain.

They ambled off the bus -- wearing the yellow and green team hats and navy blue jackets -- one by one to the pitcher's mound, and stood in a line to greet the fans.

"I didn't expect this many because it's raining and I didn't think they cared, but it turns out they do care,'' Alvey said at the stadium.

Alvey gave Zach Osborne a hug and told the fans that Osborne, the team's shortstop, "played defense like I ain't ever seen anybody play it before.''

Ethan Henry, who hit a two-run homer in the U.S. Championship game against Worcester, Mass., on Saturday, was asked about his favorite World Series moment.

"My home run,'' Henry said.

It's the closest thing to boasting any member of this team -- known for its extraordinary discipline and sportsmanship -- has done since the tournament began two weeks ago.

Louisville eagerly awaited their return Monday. Mayor David Armstrong greeted the players as they stepped off the plane, presenting them with a copy of a green and yellow highway sign that will be posted at the city's entrances. Earlier, as the plane taxied down the runway, two fire trucks sprayed their water cannons high into the air, creating an arch that the rolling aircraft traveled under.

Armstrong said a motorcade, including team members, their parents and elected city, county and state officials, will be held next Monday. The route will begin at the team's playing field near Dixie Highway and will end at downtown's Slugger Field, home of the Triple-A Louisville Bats.

Alvey looked tired as he adjusted his cap and listened Monday night as a herd of reporters swarmed around him.

He smiled, shuffled his feet, and said, "I think I'm ready to go back to school now.''