In the more than two decades that Lisa Uber has spent as a volunteer Little League® coach, she has coached across all divisions of play. As each of her children grew up, she moved up with them, both in baseball and softball. Even when her grandkids entered the picture, she again found herself starting at the youngest division – Tee Ball.  

Today, her kids and grandkids are grown up, but Ms. Uber continues to step out onto the field as a Tee Ball coach for Walkertown (N.C.) Little League.  

“The Tee Ball division is my favorite age to coach. I think coaches and volunteers who are worried about taking on that youngest division don’t understand the impact they could have on the players,” said Ms. Uber. “Everything starts at the Tee Ball level, and it is so rewarding to be a part of the molding and shaping of these young lives, knowing that when they step off the field for the last time that season, they have learned important lessons not just about the game, but about life, too.”  

Recognized as the April 2024 Little League Diamond Leader of the Month, as part of the Girls with Game 50 Celebration, Ms. Uber recently shared her experience in a Diamond Leader Discussion: 

From your experience with the Little League Diamond Leader Training Program, why do you think it is important for not just coaches, but for all volunteers to take the training?    

I think there are coaches who approach the game with a win–at-all-costs attitude, and this training program teaches the other aspects of coaching and other things that you need to be a good coach. I have always tried to coach with the mindset that it is not all about winning. I want to teach my players how to win, but I also want to teach them how to handle a loss, too. I want to teach them how to be good leaders, good teammates, and be respectful towards others, which is not always a coach’s mindset when they go into that first practice. The Diamond Leader training helps put everything into perspective.  

This year marks the 50^th Anniversary of the Little League Softball^® World Series, and 50 years of girls being allowed to participate in the Little League program. What does the Girls with Game 50 celebration mean to you as a female playing an active role in the program? 

I think it is important for the young players, boys and girls, to see females in that strong, leadership role and to respect females in that role the same way they respect men. From my experience, players are receptive to it and appreciate when they see a woman out on the field who knows what she is doing and shows that she can lead them not only when they win a game, but when they lose a game, too. Women need to be visible in this sport, they need to be out there showing they can be a strong role model, and they need to show that women can not only handle the responsibilities of being a coach, but they can do it well, too.  

What does it mean to you to be a Diamond Leader for the youngest age of Little Leaguers^®? 

Each practice, I pick a player to be a leader for the day and they all take it very seriously, working hard to lead by example. For me, that is success. When the Little Leaguers are teaching and leading by example at age five or six, it really hits me in the heart in the best way. So, to be a Diamond Leader for this age of players is rewarding. This training really pushes coaches to see that it is not all about winning and recognize that we have young lives we are helping shape as they grow and that all starts on the ball field. Developing players into leaders, understanding what each child can do, and pushing them to be their best is what a Diamond Leader in this program should be doing.  

The Little League Diamond Leader program, which was first piloted with nearly 1,000 Little League volunteers throughout the 2022 season, was created as part of the Susan Crown Exchange’s Million Coaches Challenge and developed in coordination with the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. Focused on ensuring children have a positive, well-rounded experience on and off the field, the Little League Diamond Leader Training Program is a FREE educational resource that provides coaches with an understanding of the impact that mental, social, and emotional well-being has in youth sports through detailed information, interactive scenarios, and a variety of additional resources. Learn more and become a Diamond Leader yourself by visiting LittleLeague.org/DiamondLeader. 

Become a Diamond Leader

NOTE: The Little League Diamond Leader Discussions is a piece of the #GWG50 Celebration in 2024, with interviews of select Girls with Game who have completed the Little League Diamond Leader training program and exemplify their learnings at their local fields. To learn more about this initiative, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50. The #GWG50 celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year. 

The post Little League® Diamond Leader Discussions: Lisa Uber appeared first on Little League.

Little League^® International is pleased to announce New York Life, America’s largest mutual life insurer¹, as the Presenting Sponsor of the Little League Community Heroes recognition program, focused on honoring the dedicated volunteers who go above and beyond for their local communities. The announcement comes during National Volunteer Week, an annual recognition of the contributions of volunteers, where Little League and New York Life will honor a Community Hero each day of the week-long celebration.

“We are very excited to welcome New York Life as our newest partner and look forward to bringing its support and expertise to our thousands of local leagues and the millions of volunteers who make the Little League experience possible each year,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Business Relationship Officer.

As part of the partnership, weekly Little League Community Hero recognition social media posts are “Presented by New York Life,” and the top volunteers who are selected to be named Little League Community Heroes of the Year in August will receive additional support from New York Life.

Submit a Nomination

This new partnership will also create opportunities to deliver financial education by connecting New York Life’s more than 12,000 financial professionals across the country to local Little League Baseball and Softball programs in their communities. As part of the partnership with Major League Baseball, New York Life will also be the Presenting Sponsor of the MLB Little League Classic, set to be held on Sunday, August 18, 2024, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

“Like Little League teams across the country, New York Life agents are a staple of the community,” said Amy Hu, Chief Marketing Officer, New York Life. “We look forward to celebrating Little League Community Heroes, strengthening financial knowledge among players and families and deepening connections for New York Life agents through this partnership.”

For more than 75 years, Little League has partnered with major corporations on a national level to help keep the costs for our local Little Leagues to a minimum and to provide unparalleled benefits and resources to those member leagues. Sponsors help leagues operate smoothly, provide training resources for coaches, offset expenses for educational initiatives, offer grant programs for leagues in need, assist in supporting tournament costs, and provide opportunities and knowledge in fundraising, operations, nutrition, and safety. In short, sponsors help leagues offer the best programs possible, so players and volunteers can have a fun and rewarding Little League experience.

To learn more about how New York Life and the other Official Partners are supporting Little League Baseball and Softball, and what opportunities are available for local leagues and their communities, visit LittleLeague.org/Sponsors.

¹Based on revenue as reported by “Fortune 500 ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual),” Fortune magazine, 6/5/2023. For methodology, please see http://fortune.com/fortune500/.

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During Opening Day of the 2022 Atlantic League season, the Staten Island FerryHawks were down 5-3 to the Charleston Dirty Birds in the 9^th inning. With a late-inning rally underway, Kelsie Whitmore entered the game for the FerryHawks as a pinch-runner. As she took her spot on first base, fans from both teams erupted into a standing ovation and began chanting her name – Kelsie Whitmore had just made history.

Although the FerryHawks would lose the game, it was a win for Girls with Game^® everywhere as Ms. Whitmore became the first woman to play in a professional baseball game associated with Major League Baseball (MLB).

“I did not know I was making history, and, honestly, I don’t think I knew beforehand because that’s not why I play baseball. I am not playing to try and be ‘the first’ or to be a headline, I’m playing because I genuinely love the game.”

It was a historic moment for women in baseball, and one that drew attention to Ms. Whitmore by baseball fans and media outlets. However, Ms. Whitmore’s journey to professional baseball began long before she took that first step onto that field. A native of California, Ms. Whitmore played baseball for the first time with Temecula Valley (Calif.) National Little League, where her love for the game was sparked.

“I remember being the only girl on the field and I remember it not being weird. It became very normal for me to be out there with the boys,” said Ms. Whitmore. “I just loved baseball from the moment I started playing it and I never fell out of love with it. I played multiple sports, but it was the one sport I was drawn towards, and it always felt right to be out on that field. Anything that had to do with baseball was just on my mind all the time.”

Ms. Whitmore carried her passion for the game into her middle school and high school careers when she played for the varsity baseball team. It also pushed her to not give up on her dreams, even when she started receiving pushback for being the only female on the field.

“It’s funny because, at the same time that people started to make comments about me being a female playing baseball or pushing back against the idea, it was also when I knew I wanted to pursue a collegiate and professional career,” said Ms. Whitmore. “I think because I was so driven at the time, the pushback that I was receiving made me want it even more and really drove me to get to each level after high school.”

Getting to that next level after high school was not easy, but Ms. Whitmore was persistent. With the help of her high school coaches, Ms. Whitmore got accepted into Cal State Fullerton.

“I started the process of looking into colleges at the end of my junior year, which is too late for a lot of athletic programs. The freshmen rosters were filled, and there was no real traction at the time, so I switched gears. I knew I wanted a scholarship, and I knew I wanted to stay in a bat-and-ball sport, so I turned to my baseball coaches for help,” said Ms. Whitmore on landing a roster spot on the Call State Fullerton Softball Team. “Playing softball was definitely different, but my coaches were very supportive.”

Even though she made the transition to softball for her collegiate years, earning a full scholarship on the team, she was never far from the baseball field. Not only did she continue her career on the U.S. Women’s National baseball team – which she has been a rostered member of since 2014 – but Ms. Whitmore also spent her summers playing baseball with the Sonoma California Stompers, a team in the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs. She and Stacy Piagno, who is also a member of the U.S. Women’s National baseball team, joined the team and became the first female teammates to play on a professional club in more than 60 years.

“I played with the Stompers for two years, which was when I first played at a professional level. When I graduated from college, I just knew that I wanted to continue that journey,” said Ms. Whitmore. “I couldn’t imagine my life without baseball. I couldn’t imagine my career not being baseball. That was the moment when my heart knew I wanted to play professionally, and I was going to do anything I could to get there. So, coming out of college, I reached out to teams, attended trainings, and traveled the world just to get experience and hopefully be seen.”

Ms. Whitmore’s hard work paid off. In 2022, Ms. Whitmore signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks, becoming the first female to sign a contract with an MLB-affiliated league and today, the trailblazing ballplayer spends her days training in the offseason with that same love for the game she had as a Little Leaguer^®.

“I don’t think I found baseball; I think baseball found me.”

To learn more about her experience as a female athlete and her ongoing baseball career, Little League sat down for a special Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Six-Inning Conversation with Ms. Whitmore:  

First Inning: What do you remember from your years playing Little League Baseball^®? 

It’s funny because when you do look back to that time, you don’t remember the plays you made or the outcome of games, but you do remember the community that you built. A lot of the guys that I grew up playing with in Little League became some of my best friends in high school. So, yeah, when it comes to the memories I have tied to Little League, I just think of community.

Second Inning: Once you knew baseball was the sport for you, was there any piece of advice someone shared with you that kept you driven throughout your journey?

This is not really a piece of advice, but the one thing that really kept me going on my journey was my family. They always supported me playing baseball. I never felt like my dreams were crazy because they never made me feel like they were crazy, especially when I told them that I wanted to take it to the next level and play for a professional team… Even now, my brother is going to come catch for me in the bullpen after working his 9-to-5 job. It really is about the little things like that to encourage me and support me.

Third Inning: You made history as the first female to play professional baseball in the Atlantic League with the Staten Island FerryHawks. What was it like when you made the official roster, knowing you were making history?

After my first start for the team, I went on my phone, and it was just blowing up with the news that I was the first female to do so. Ever since that game, I decided to make the best out of it. I am determined to do this the right way so other women are proud and young females are inspired.

Fourth Inning: You are also on the U.S. Women’s National Baseball team’s roster. What is it like to play with this group of women?

It is always an honor to play with them. After playing for so many years playing on all-male teams, being able to play on a field with all women, who went through the same struggles and have the same goals and desires, that is so special. Then there’s another layer where you are representing your country and that’s something that gives me chills just talking about it because you are playing for something that is bigger than yourself. Plus, tournaments we play in are only every couple of years, so we don’t get to see each other very often, but when we do the energy is there and there is so much gratitude in the air for an opportunity to play the game that we love. There’s nothing better than having U.S.A. written across your chest.

• Ms. Whitmore played for the U.S. National Women’s Baseball Team for the first time in 2014 when she was 16 years old.
• The World Baseball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s Baseball World Cup with be played in Thunder Bay, Canada, starting July 28, 2024.

Fifth Inning: If you had the opportunity to speak with a young female athlete who is just starting her athletic career, what advice would you give her?  

You have to ask yourself what it is that you love, how much do you love it, and are you willing to work for it? There will be failure, difficulties, hardships, and heartbreak, but knowing all that, if you still want it and you persevere, then you will be unstoppable, and your goals will all be possible. Find your community and lean on them. Find the group that appreciates you and supports you not for what you do, but for who you are. It might be hard to understand this now at a young age, but as you get older don’t let yourself get wrapped up in your career, but instead in what is right, what is authentic, and what is true to you. Just be the best version of yourself.

Sixth Inning: As we celebrate the past 50 years of female involvement in Little League, we also look to the future. Where do you see female participation in baseball and sports in general going in the years ahead? 

In general, I see female sports growing and I think it will be the next big thing people will watch. Women are exciting to watch when they are competing, whether it be on the baseball field, basketball court, or soccer field. The energy is there because there’s so much desire to get after it, not only because we love it, but they know they are also fighting an uphill battle. For women in baseball, we are seeing more organizations supporting women with different programs. So, I think if we continue to support each other and get support then it’s only going to grow from here.

NOTE: The Little League Six Innings Features are a piece of the #GWG50 Celebration in 2024, with interviews of Girls with Game who graduated from Little League programs and continued to make an impact on female sports throughout their careers. To learn more about this initiative, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50. The #GWG50 celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year.  

The post Six Innings with Kelsie Whitmore, the First Female to Play Professional Baseball in The Atlantic League appeared first on Little League.

Barrel racing on horseback, soccer, softball, tennis, golf, and surfing – all sports that Caroline Marks, now a professional surfer, competed in as a young female athlete. A graduate of South Beaches (Fla.) Little League and the third oldest of six children, Ms. Marks spent her childhood like many other kids within the Little League® program – outside playing sports and being active with her siblings.

“My parents just encouraged us from a young age to have healthy habits. After school, they didn’t want us to just go home and sit on our phones. We were a very active family and we loved being an active family,” said Ms. Marks. “We would go to this place in Florida where my brothers would ride dirt bikes while I rode horses and then we would all go home together at the end of the day. There are a lot of good memories tied to my childhood.”

Hoping to be more like her two older brothers, Ms. Marks paddled out into the ocean and caught her first wave at nine years old. Over the next three years, her passion for surfing grew with each wave. By the time she turned 12, Ms. Marks knew that surfing was what she planned to do forever.

“When I was younger, I thought I had to find a way to make my brothers think I was cool, and what better way to do that than to do what they thought was cool, which was surfing,” said Ms. Marks. “I credit them for getting me into surfing, and then as I got older and chose it as my career path, they were there for me every step of the way.”

At 15 years old, Ms. Marks qualified for her first women’s World Surf League (WSL) Championship tour, becoming the youngest surfer to do so. In her first tour appearance, she placed third in three out of her 10 events, was named Rookie of the Year, and finished the season ranked seventh in the world. A year later, in her second WSL Championship tour, Ms. Marks finished second overall and earned a spot to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where she placed fourth.

After the WSL Championship tour was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ms. Marks competed in 2021, placing sixth in the women’s division. In 2022, Ms. Marks pulled out of the season and decided to take time off to focus on her mental health.

“Mental health is very important. When you’re super young, you are just thinking about your next wave or your next meal,” said Ms. Marks. “But, as I got older, I learned how important it is to focus on your mental health and to have someone to talk to whether it is a friend, family member, or sports psychologist. Everyone’s journey is different, but focusing on it has been incredibly helpful for me, especially with all the tools that are out there.”

After her time off, Ms. Marks came back ready to compete. In 2023, Ms. Marks finished the WSL Championship tour victorious – winning her first surfing world title and securing her spot with Team USA to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

“All of my friends and family were there when I won the title. To be able to look them in the eye and feel the emotion, I get chills still today talking about it,” said Ms. Marks. “Seeing everyone who’s made sacrifices for me, it made it even more special, and it felt like everyone won that day.”

To learn more about her experience as a female athlete and her ongoing surfing career, Little League sat down for a special Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Six-Inning Conversation with Ms. Marks:  

First Inning: As a young female athlete, competing in multiple sports from Little League Softball to competitive horseback riding, what was some of the best advice you received?  

I think it is really important to make sure that whatever you choose to do is your passion and that you are not doing it for anyone else. My parents always did a great job at not forcing me to do anything, but just wanting me to have healthy habits and live an active lifestyle. It is not necessarily advice, but I think that is why I love surfing so much because I was never forced to do it, but rather was able to do it on my own terms and they supported me in choosing that direction… Another piece of advice I live by is to not base my happiness on results, which can be tough in a sport like surfing. But surfing is so important to me that no matter what the results are I wake up every day excited to do it and I am grateful to be able to say that.

Second Inning: How do you think you have carried your years of playing team sports, like soccer and Little League, into an individual sport like surfing?  

Surfing is an individual sport, but I believe it takes a team to accomplish your goals. You might be the only one out there doing it, relying on yourself in the moment if you have a bad day because you don’t have a teammate out there with you, but it still takes a team of people like your family, coaches, nutritionists, and trainers. While it is very rewarding and feels great to get the win because you are the one who had to go out there and do it, it is still a team effort and I love having my own little team around me.

Third Inning: Was there a defining moment for you in your early years of surfing that motivated you to keep going and get to the professional level you are at now?  

A few years after I started surfing, I decided to compete in the biggest amateur surfing event. I decided to sign up for the event because my older brother was doing it. I was just getting into surfing, so it was one of those ‘let’s just see how this goes’ competitions because I didn’t really know what was going on or who was who at the time. I ended up winning the U12 girls’ group and it made me realize for the first time that I might be good at surfing… My brothers were really encouraging, and I got to surf all day, plus, I got a trophy. I just remember leaving the competition thinking I could do this forever.

Fourth Inning: In 2023, you placed first at the Rip Curl World Surf League Final. Could you tell me more about this experience and what you felt in that moment?  

It’s hard to put everything that I was feeling into words, and I don’t think anyone would have been able to describe it accurately to me beforehand. It is just something that you have to feel for yourself to understand. For me, it was a euphoric, on top of the world, floating in a cloud feeling. It was very rewarding because of the work that I have been putting in since I started surfing and looking to accomplish a goal like that. It was pretty insane.

Fifth Inning: In July, you will be competing as a member of Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. With previous experience competing in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, what are you most looking forward to this time around?  

To medal would be amazing and that’s a big goal of mine. I would just like to put on good performances and push my level of surfing. I think if I do that, the results will come. I don’t prepare for the Olympics any differently than I do for other competitions. There is an added pressure because it happens only once every four years, and you are representing your country, but for me, that is cool and empowering. Plus, you’re competing against countries that are different than those that are on the WSL tour. I could end up competing against someone from Germany, so that’s an exciting part of it, too.  

Sixth Inning: If you had the opportunity to speak with a young female athlete who is just starting her athletic career what advice would you give her?

Find your passion and have fun with it. For me, surfing has always been fun and continues to be fun and I am grateful to be able to say that. Whatever you choose to do, just make sure it is your passion and that you are doing it for you and not anyone else. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the highs and the lows, and just dream big.

NOTE: The Little League Six Innings Features are a piece of the #GWG50 Celebration in 2024, with interviews of Girls with Game who graduated from Little League programs and continued to make an impact on female sports throughout their careers. To learn more about this initiative, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50. The #GWG50 celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year.  

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Though her years of playing competitive softball are behind her, Liz Darling’s passion for the game has been carried into her role as a volunteer with Mount Seymour Little League in North Vancouver, Canada. 

In 2016, when her son was finally old enough to play Tee Ball, Ms. Darling started her career as a volunteer coach. For two years, she managed teams, helped with field clean-up and prep, and worked in the concession. In 2018, Ms. Darling joined the league’s Board and Executive Committee as the League Registrar, which allowed her to contribute to league policies and the overall organization and operation of the league.

After four years of working as League Registrar, which allowed her to connect with the players, their families, and the community of Mount Seymour LL, Ms. Darling stepped into the role of League President and today continues to assist as a coach with her son’s team. 

Ms. Darling is also currently playing a key role in establishing an all-girls baseball program in her district as Little Leaguers® from four leagues in British Columbia District 5, including Mount Seymour LL, will come together in 2024 to participate in 10 sessions led by female coaches to develop their fundamental baseball skills. In its first year, more than 80 girls are registered to participate in the sessions this spring. 

“Rather than working individually as leagues, we chose to come together so the girls were given the opportunity to see just how many other girls want to play the game, so they don’t feel alone,” said Ms. Darling. “The collective vision is to build a robust and sustainable program across our district, where girls will learn and develop their skills while having fun and building life-long friendships through baseball.”  

Recognized as the March 2024 Little League Diamond Leader of the Month, as part of the Girls with Game 50 Celebration, Ms. Darling recently shared her experience in a Diamond Leader Discussion: 

From your experience with the Little League Diamond Leader Training Program, why do you think it is important for not just coaches, but for all volunteers to take the training?    

“The Diamond Leader training reminds coaches and league volunteers why we do this in the first place, how to connect with the players, and how to give these young athletes the best experience possible. To do that, we need to connect with the Little Leaguers, meet them at their level, and remind ourselves that our learning as a coach and volunteer is never done.”

This year marks the 50^th Anniversary of the Little League Softball^® World Series, and 50 years of girls being allowed to participate in the Little League program. What does the Girls with Game 50 celebration mean to you as a female playing an active role in the program? 

“Celebrating 50 years to me is very important… When I was growing up there were some baseball programs available to me, but not to this extent or this recognition. To see girls now getting to be a part of this recognition means a lot... Plus, if there are other women out there like me who may have once played softball or baseball, I hope by recognizing girls in both that these women will see it and put their hand up and volunteer as a coach because we need you, the leagues need you, and the kids need you.”  

How do you see your district’s program positively impacting the females in the area who choose to participate?  

“I think that providing girls a safe space to play is really important. As League Registrar, I noticed a significant drop in girls playing baseball after age eight. Seeing that only four or five girls were continuing with baseball out of an original pool of 20-plus girls, that is when I knew there needed to be a change, and as a league and district, we needed to figure out a way to help these girls keep playing baseball.”  

What does it mean to you to be a Diamond Leader?   

“It is significant. By taking the training, you are learning to acknowledge the athletes and focusing on providing them with the tools that they need to not only be great athletes but to go out and be great people in our communities. If you think about the significant impact that you will have on your players, it is rewarding. The training resonated with me because it reminded me of the coaches I had growing up. I never had to question the belief my coaches had in me or how they brought us together as a team because, win or lose, they were always proud of us and encouraged us to be our best. That’s the coach and Diamond Leader that I strive to be with my players and how I encourage coaches in our league to be.”  

The Little League Diamond Leader program, which was first piloted with nearly 1,000 Little League volunteers throughout the 2022 season, was created as part of the Susan Crown Exchange’s Million Coaches Challenge and developed in coordination with the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. Focused on ensuring children have a positive, well-rounded experience on and off the field, the Little League Diamond Leader Training Program is a FREE educational resource that provides coaches with an understanding of the impact that mental, social, and emotional well-being has in youth sports through detailed information, interactive scenarios, and a variety of additional resources. Learn more and become a Diamond Leader yourself by visiting LittleLeague.org/DiamondLeader.  

Become a Diamond Leader Today

NOTE: The Little League Diamond Leader Discussions is a piece of the #GWG50 Celebration in 2024, with interviews of select Girls with Game who have completed the Little League Diamond Leader training program and exemplify their learnings at their local fields. To learn more about this initiative, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50. The #GWG50 celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year. 

The post Little League® Diamond Leader Discussions: Liz Darling appeared first on Little League.

With just a few months to go until the official kickoff of the Little League^® International Tournament season, the official schedules, websites, and mobile app for the 2024 Little League World Series are now available for fans to enjoy. This year’s slate of fun and exciting action will once again include more than 340 baseball and softball games broadcast across ESPN Platforms, combining for what is expected to be more than 700 hours of Little League action across its seven divisions of play in the span of six weeks.

While the day-by-day schedules are now available, the official first-round matchups for both the Little League Baseball^® World Series, Presented by T-Mobile, and the Little League Softball^® World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, will be announced and made available in June in coordination with National Little League Week.

In addition to being a global part of the Girls with Game 50 Celebration, honoring five decades of girls and women in the Little League program, this year’s robust schedule of events will officially kick off on Saturday, July 20, with the Little League Softball U.S. Region Tournaments and feature:

• The MLB Little League Classic, Presented by New York Life, between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers
• A celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the Little League Softball World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods
• The return of the AU Pro Games at the LLSWS, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods for the first time this year
• A record-tying 26 broadcast games scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 4
• Increased exposure with the LLSWS Championship once again airing on ABC
• The Little League Challenger Division^® Exhibition Game at the LLBWS, with increased support from Eggland’s Best for the second year in a row, featuring teams from New Jersey and California
• Enhanced on-site World Series Fan Zone experiences in both Greenville and Williamsport
• Additional resources and opportunities made available through the LLWS mobile app
• Little League Community Heroes of the Year Awards, Presented by New York Life

To learn more and stay up-to-date with all the latest news and information, visit LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries and download the World Series app in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

The Little League #GWG50 Celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year. To learn more about the celebration, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50.

Additional information, including visitor resources, special guests, and more will be made available in the coming months at LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries. To plan your visit to one of the seven World Series events, as well as the region tournaments leading up to them, visit the specific event’s website at LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries. For those looking to cross off the bucket-list trip to Williamsport, start your planning now by going to LittleLeague.org/Visit. Additionally, the dates for future World Series events can also be found at LittleLeague.org/WSDates.

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In celebration of Women’s History Month, and as part of the overall Little League® Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Celebration in 2024, Little League International is proud to announce the launch of its #GWG50 Photo Contest, kicking off the organization’s annual Girls with Game month.  

Designed to highlight the incredible girls and women in Little League communities all around the world, the #GWG50 Photo Contest is open for leagues and families across all generations to share their own photos, past or present, that showcase what the Girls with Game 50 Celebration means to them. From the fun and smiles of a Tee Ball player enjoying the game, to the integrity and teamwork of a group of all-stars looking to compete for a championship, to the dedicated volunteers who bring the community together, this Photo Contest is available for each and every Girl with Game to show how they are helping to change the game forever.  

Learn More ▸ Submit Your Photo ▸

The #GWG50 Photo Contest is set to run from March 1 at 9 a.m. ET through Friday, March 29 at 5 p.m. ET. Following the conclusion of the contest, Little League International staff will select the top three photos that best exemplify the Girls with Game 50 Celebration and will highlight those selections across its official social media channels. Additionally, the top selected photos will be showcased within the World of Little League® Museum at the home of the Little League Baseball® World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.   

To submit your photo into the #GWG50 Photo Contest, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50. The full terms and conditions for Little League’s Photo Contests can be found on LittleLeague.org. The #GWG50 celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year. 

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When Olivia Pichardo stepped onto her first Little League Baseball® field at six years old, she went out there to have fun, but little did she know that she would grow up to become the first female to play on an NCAA Division I baseball team. She didn’t anticipate that she would one day lace up her cleats and put on a USA Baseball uniform to play with a full team of women at international tournaments. But, from the moment she could throw a ball, Ms. Pichardo did know that baseball was the sport for her. 

Ms. Pichardo played her first Little League® game in the Coach Pitch Division of Forest Hills Little League in Queens, New York. She didn’t get to play Tee Ball, which she jokingly blames her father for after he missed the registration deadline, however, she credits her father for something much more important to her athletic career – the love of the game.  

“My dad was a coach on every single one of my Little League teams and helped me develop that initial love for the game, and that’s what I think Little League is all about,” said Ms. Pichardo. “You’re not going to become a superstar or an elite athlete at five years old, or even at 12 years old. So, during those formative years, it is about establishing that initial love for the game and having it be something you get to look forward to at the end of the school day.”  

On her Coach Pitch team, two other girls played alongside Ms. Pichardo. However, as she moved up through the divisions, she found herself to be the only female on her teams. For some, this might have been intimidating, but for Ms. Pichardo, it built her self-confidence.  

“When you’re that young, you don’t necessarily pay attention to the difference in gender, other than the fact that I did know there were not many other girls playing baseball, which kind of fed my ego a little bit. Plus, I never really got any pushback from my teammates at that young age,” said Ms. Pichardo. “Parents and coaches would approach my parents and ask when I would make the switch to softball, assuming that I would because I was a female, but I never wanted to leave baseball.”  

Following her Little League career, Ms. Pichardo continued to play the game she loved, starting with club baseball before joining the USA Baseball Women’s National Team in 2022 where she would go on to play in her first international women’s baseball tournament in a friendship series with Canada.  

After graduation, Ms. Pichardo moved to Providence, Rhode Island, to attend Brown University. Looking to prioritize her academics, she applied to the university through the regular admission process but immediately contacted the baseball team’s head coach once she was admitted, letting him know she would be trying out in the fall of her freshman year.  After a few weeks of tryouts, Ms. Pichardo earned a spot on the team as a utility player and became the first female to be on a NCAA Division I baseball roster. In March 2023, she became the first female to play in a NCAA Division I baseball game when she made her debut as a pinch hitter against Bryant University. 

To learn more about her experience as a female athlete and her ongoing baseball career, Little League sat down for a special Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Six-Inning Conversation with Ms. Pichardo:  

First Inning: Growing up, what was some of the best advice you received?  

“I can’t remember a specific thing that anyone has told me that has really stuck with me through the years. In its own way, the fact that parents and coaches assumed I was going to switch to softball, and knowing I never planned to do that, was something that kept me motivated. Other than that, I think through the different coaches and teams I played on, which taught me that to be successful you need to have a positive attitude, be a good teammate, and be a coachable player.”  

Second Inning: Reflecting on your experience as a young female athlete playing Little League Baseball, what would you tell young females who are just starting their baseball career now? 

“When I was younger, I had a little bit of a temper problem, and I stressed out a lot. So, if I could give any piece of advice, it would be to not stress out and to just have fun. If you strike out or make an error on the field, just move on, and learn from the moment. Baseball can be a frustrating sport, so try and stay within yourself, control your emotions, and have a good attitude. It is great to have confidence in yourself and have expectations, but also remember to give yourself a break and have fun.”  

Third Inning: Once you finished playing Little League, what was it like moving up to the next level in your baseball career?  

“In middle school, I received a little pushback and was teased for being a female playing baseball. It was the first time that I think I became a little self-conscious as a female in a predominantly male sport, but this is also the time I discovered there were other girls outside of my town playing baseball. I watched Mo’ne Davis in the Little League Baseball World Series, which was a huge inspiration for me, especially because she was a female of color playing. I think it’s a lot easier to keep playing when you have female counterparts to look to for motivation. When I went back to my own Little League to be an umpire for the younger divisions, I noticed that there was at least one girl on multiple baseball teams and one of the teams even had four girls. It shocked me to see that at first since it was unheard of when I was younger, but I am happy to see that they have that.” 

Fourth Inning: What was it like to intern for the New York Mets in 2022 and experience what it is like to be behind the scenes rather than on the field?  

“When the internship was assigned as part of my high school senior project, I turned to Elizabeth Benn to hopefully make some connections at the organization. In addition to her, Kim Ng and Veronica Alvarez are two women on the baseball operations side of things that I am inspired by. So, after meeting with people in the organization, I chose to intern for the amateur scouting department where I was given a bunch of different projects that gave me insight into how it all worked behind the scenes. There really is so much work that goes into making these decisions and analyzing information for the scouts. I am not sure what my future career looks like, but it was very interesting to learn about and be a part of for even a small amount of time.”  

Fifth Inning: What is it like playing for USA Baseball on an all-female baseball team? 

“Having female baseball players around me is definitely something that keeps me going, especially when I get to play for the women’s national team. I love playing with that group of women. We just played in the qualifiers last year for the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup, which is happening for the first time in a long time this summer. It is something I am really looking forward to that I don’t think a lot of people know about, but they should.”  

• The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s Baseball World Cup will be played in Thunder Bay, Canada, starting July 28, 2024. The roster for the 2024 team has not yet been announced.  

Sixth Inning: What was it like when you officially made the Brown University baseball roster, knowing you were making history as the first female to be on an NCAA Division I team?

“I knew going into the tryouts that if I did make the team, I would be the first female to do so in the NCAA, so I felt a sense of pressure going into the tryouts knowing I would have that title and get media attention for it. I just wanted to be a good representative of females. But now that I am on the team, I am over that pressure and instead, I just focus on being the best teammate I can be and make my coaches proud.”  

• Florida International University softball player Ashton Lansdell also played Division I baseball for the National Junior College Athletic Association for Georgia Highlands College. Ms. Pichardo, who now plays with Ms. Lansdell on the USA Baseball Women’s National Team, credits Ms. Lansdell for being an inspiring force that pushed her into one day wanting to play collegiate baseball.  

NOTE: The Little League Six Innings Features are a piece of the #GWG50 Celebration in 2024, with interviews of Girls with Game who graduated from Little League programs and continued to make an impact on female sports throughout their careers. To learn more about this initiative, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50. The #GWG50 celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year.  

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Following a record-setting year in 2023, the Little League^® Urban Initiative Jamborees are set to return with seven events scheduled across the United States for the 2024 season.

In its second year back since the pandemic, the Little League Urban Initiative Jamboree events saw record performances in 2023, including the largest softball event in the program’s history and the addition of nine first-time participating leagues. Looking to provide additional opportunities to the leagues within the Urban Initiative program, the 2024 Jamborees will feature two new event locations in Highland, California, and Columbus, Georgia.

“After an exciting year in 2023, we are looking forward to bringing back our Jamboree events this year and providing a memorable experience to hundreds of children within our Urban Initiative programs,” said Demiko Ervin, Little League Director of the Urban Initiative. “Along with those leagues and volunteers returning to host our returning Jamboree events, we are also grateful for the dedicated volunteers in Georgia and California who have stepped up to host these events for the first time this year.”

Below are the dates and locations for the 2024 Little League Urban Initiative Jamborees:

• April 12–14: California Baseball Jamboree (Los Angeles, Calif.)
• April 19–21:California Softball Jamboree (Highland, Calif.)
• April 26–28: Florida Baseball Jamboree (Clearwater, Fla.)
• May 17–19: Texas Baseball Jamboree (Houston, Texas)
• May 31 – June 2: East Region Softball Jamboree (Washington, D.C.)
• June 7–9: New York Metro Jamboree (Bronx, N.Y.)

Hosted by Central Little League in Highland, California, this year’s California Softball Jamboree marks the first time the event will take place in Southern California, after more than a decade in Northern California. The Urban Initiative Softball Jamboree events will once again provide a tournament-style opportunity for girls from underserved communities, and in 2024, will do so in support of Little League’s Girls with Game 50 Celebration, honoring the girls and women who have paved the way for females in the Little League program over the last five decades.

“Being asked to host the 2024 Little League Urban Initiative California Softball Jamboree at our field is a dream come true for us,” said Michelle Williamson, Central Little League President. “Being a part of this event in previous years for baseball has been incredible, but we are honored to be given this opportunity to host softball, especially during the 50^th Anniversary of girls being allowed to play Little League. We are looking forward to meeting the teams, volunteers, and parents, and we are beyond thrilled to welcome everyone and show them our Central Little League hospitality.”

Inspired by the Little League World Series, the Little League Urban Initiative Jamboree was first established in 2004 with one national tournament, and in 2010 was expanded to region-based events. At these Jamborees, teams compete in a weekend-long tournament with the championship game typically being played on Sunday afternoon. This year, teams from across the the Southeast Region will have the opportunity to participate for the first time at the event in its new location in Columbus, Georgia, with Sally Little League hosting.

“Hosting the Urban Initiative Jamboree is an opportunity to prove to not only to our community, but to the greater Columbus community and the entire Southeast Region that we have true student athletes and a Board of Directors who have fostered our ‘All In’ motto,” said Christopher Smith, Sally Little League President. “We’re proud to see the efforts of our Board of Directors bring a bigger Baseball community to Columbus, Georgia. This display of talented young athletes will continue to encourage our own community to push through adversity and have fun doing it.”

Established in 1999 to provide opportunities for communities in underserved communities to reap the benefits of having local Little League programs in their neighborhoods, the Little League Urban Initiative has helped tens of thousands of children and volunteers in cities throughout the United States. These Jamborees are unique events to bring players from local programs that benefit from the support of the Urban Initiative together for a weekend of camaraderie and competition.

To learn more about how to get involved in one of these events, or to start an Urban Initiative program in your community, please contact Mr. Ervin at DErvin@LittleLeague.org.

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Continuing to strengthen the relationship between Little League® and the World Baseball and Softball Confederation-Europe (WBSC-Europe), which recently signed a five-year agreement, representatives from 14 Little League Europe and Africa Region nations gathered in Warsaw, Poland, with representatives of WBSC-Europe for a weekend of discussions and presentations at the end of January.  

During the two-day event, Little League International staff led sessions to discuss and receive feedback related to ongoing programs and initiatives, including Little League’s strengthened Organizational Identity. Plus, representatives from the Czech Republic, United Kingdom, and France led presentations showcasing how Little League programs have been established in their countries. 

Just a few weeks following their gathering, Little League also named France as the 2023  Europe and Africa Baseball and Softball Country of the Year during the WBSC-Europe 2024 General Congress on February 10.  

“Little League France is a great example of a country approaching their program from different angles to try and create an all-around positive experience for not just the children in their community, but for their families, the volunteers, and the umpires, as well,” said Mrs. Kaszuba-Baker. “Receiving an award like this makes the volunteers in France proud of their program. The award was presented in front of all the European representatives at Congress, so I think it was an important honor for them to stand there and have their hard work be recognized in that way.”  

Little League leadership in France has worked closely with the French Federation of Baseball and Softball (FFBS) to organize and establish the program nationwide. With league boundaries redrawn a few years ago, there are now 12 leagues operating within Metropolitan France under the guidance of the French Baseball Federation and the Little League District Leadership.

For the first time in recent years, France sent a team to represent their country at the 2023 Little League Baseball Europe and Africa Region tournament, played in Kutno, Poland. SUD Little League from Nice, France, finished the tournament with one win and two losses. In 2022, France participated in the Intermediate (50/70) Baseball and Senior League Baseball Europe and Africa Region tournaments. 

Outside of the World Series tournaments, FFBS has also hosted the Interligues Little League® France tournament over the last few years. In 2023, La Guerche de Bretagne in Western France welcomed 320 players, 60 coaches, and 50 officials for the tournament and weekend of festivities.  

To learn more about the Little League Europe and Africa Region, including information about this year’s region tournaments, visit LittleLeague.org. 

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