In addition to his volunteerism as a District Administrator, his commitment to service and country was evident when he joined the U.S. Army, where he served with distinction for over 13 years, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. His military career was a testament to his dedication and patriotism, and it shaped the unwavering spirit he carried with him long after his service.

Following his honorable discharge, Richard continued his education, earning an Associate Degree from Philps Jr. College, an accomplishment that spoke to his lifelong love of learning and personal growth. Transitioning to civilian life, he embarked on a career as a truck driver, a role he held until he took early retirement in 1996 due to health concerns.

His enthusiasm for baseball extended beyond the diamond, as he was also a huge Atlanta Braves fan, rarely missing a game and always ready to discuss the latest play or strategy.

The post Little League® International Remembers Former Georgia District 8 Administrator Richard Bryant appeared first on Little League.

“We are thrilled to announce that Greenville will continue to serve as the home for the Little League Softball World Series for the next few years and we look forward to continue to work with the entire community to bring this event to the next level,” said Ashlea Miller, Little League Softball World Series Tournament Director and Little League Director of Softball Development. “The ‘Road to Greenville’ has become a phrase that thousands of our girls and their families have come to dream about as they journey to become one of the 12 lucky teams to participate in our event. We are thankful to all the volunteers and staff who have continued to invest their time, effort, and excitement into making this event special each and every year.”

Since its debut as host of the event in 2021, which was made up of all teams from the United States due to challenges from the coronavirus pandemic, the LLSWS in Greenville has continued to grow each year since. In 2022, the event saw the return of international teams to the tournament as it became the most watched event in five years, and in 2023 welcomed professional softball athletes from Athletes Unlimited to town as part of a historic event with the first-ever AU Pro Games at the LLSWS. In addition to the excitement both in town and on the field, the City of Greenville was brought into the homes of millions of fans around the world as the 2023 Little League Softball World Series championship game was showcased on ABC for the first time in the event’s history.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Little League and ensure that the Little League Softball World Series will continue to call Greenville home,” said P.J. Connelly, Greenville Mayor. “Our community looks forward to welcoming the players and their families for years to come, and we will continue to do whatever it takes to make it an experience they will never forget.”

Located just inland off the North Carolina Coast, the City of Greenville is filled with accommodations to fulfill the needs of visitors from all over the world and provides visitors a balance of front-porch hospitality and the amenities of a metropolitan university town. In its first three years of hosting the event, the City of Greenville and all the volunteers who come to support it have fully embraced Little League’s purpose, mission, and value and have provided an enhanced experience for the participants, families, and fans from all around the world.

The announcement of the extension also comes during National Volunteer Week, an annual celebration of volunteers around the world, like those from the Greenville Little League program who make up the majority of the Little League Softball World Series Committee and are responsible for making the event a fun and memorable experience each year.

Since 1974, the Little League Softball World Series has provided girls with a meaningful experience to interact with their peers and compete against communities from around the world. Hosted and operated largely by Little League volunteers, the annual event brings thousands of visitors together each summer in Greenville for a week of competitive softball and memorable moments. The LLSWS features top competition from around the world and a unique opportunity for young female athletes to make new friends while interacting and experience a number of different cultures.

The 2024 Little League Softball World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, is set to take place from August 4-11 at Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park. Additionally, fans and participants will once again have the unique opportunity to experience the AU Pro Games at the LLSWS, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, as Athletes Unlimited Professional Softball players and their staff return to Greenville for two days of interaction, including a doubleheader at ECU on August 7.

LLSWS INFO AU PRO GAMES INFO

This year’s festivities will also showcase the Little League Girls with Game 50 Celebration as leagues and volunteers from around the world join together to recognize 50 years of girls and women in the Little League program as well as celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the Little League Softball World Series.

The 2024 Little League Softball World Series, AU Pro Games at the LLSWS, and the #GWG50 Celebration are all 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 Little League Softball World Series, and to start planning your trip to experience the event first-hand in Greenville, visit LittleLeague.org/LLSWS.

About The City of Greenville

Located just inland from North Carolina’s beautiful crystal coast, Greenville is the thriving economic, medical, educational, and cultural hub of eastern North Carolina. Home to East Carolina University, ECU Health Medical Center, a thriving downtown district, and numerous other parks and amenities, Greenville is a place where no matter where you turn, you will find yourself in good company.

The post Little League Softball® World Series to Remain in Greenville Through 2027 appeared first on Little League.

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.

Loni N. Kline, the Senior Vice President for College Relations and Chief Philanthropy Officer at Pennsylvania College of Technology, has been elected as the newest At-Large Member of the Little League^® International Board of Directors.

“On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I am honored to welcome Loni as our newest member and look forward to bringing her insight and expertise to our team,” said Steven P. Johnson, Little League International Board of Directors Chairman. “Her invaluable knowledge of the sport, combined with her experience in the world of philanthropy, will be a great addition to our board as we venture into the next stage of our strategic initiatives, including the launch and development of our new Philanthropy and Social Impact Department.”

Mrs. Kline has been a huge supporter of softball her entire life, from her time playing for her local community to her collegiate career pitching for Juniata College. As a young Little Leaguer^® herself, she learned how to pitch by watching Michele Smith tapes on VHS and practicing with her father, and now makes it a priority to give back to youth throughout her community by serving as a volunteer pitching coach in Snyder County, Pennsylvania.

“Being elected to the Little League International Board of Directors is a true honor,” said Mrs. Kline. “I’m inspired by the organization’s direction to support social impact through philanthropy, continuing to foster experiences, and lessons that positively effect lives and communities. I take seriously my commitment to this role and as a life-long champion for the spirit of youth sports.”

Prior to her role at Pennsylvania College of Technology, Mrs. Kline served as the Associate Vice President for Development and Donor Relations at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and was the Director of the Annual Fund for Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, before that. Additionally, she has experience working in philanthropic roles at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Affinity Connection, and Juniata College. Throughout her professional career, she has received numerous awards, including the 2022 Recipient of the Penn College President’s Award for Outstanding Assessment, a 2020 inductee into the YWCA Northcentral Pennsylvania’s Women of Excellence, a 2016 Lycoming College Blue and Gold Leadership Award recipient, and a 2014 recipient of the Bucknell Walter C. Geiger Award for administrative excellence,

In addition to her professional accolades, Mrs. Kline also serves on the board for Leon Fultz Foundation for Youth, a non-profit organization established to support the youth of Snyder County, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding areas through athletic, recreational, and developmental programs. She is also a proud Board member for Hope Enterprises, Inc., a non-profit provider for people with intellectual disabilities, and is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Mrs. Kline graduated from Juniata College with a bachelor’s degree in communications and health promotion, received a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Phoenix, and became licensed as a chartered advisor in philanthropy from the American College of Financial Services. Currently residing in Beavertown, Pennsylvania, Mrs. Kline is married to her husband, Doug, and has one son, Payton.

BOARD AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

About the Little League^® International Board of Directors

The management of the property and business affairs of Little League Baseball^®, Incorporated, is vested in the International Board of Directors. The Board has the control of the corporation and the power to appoint such standing committees as it shall determine and to delegate such responsibilities as it shall deem advisable.

Along with more than a dozen at-large members from a variety of occupations and backgrounds, the Little League International Board has nine Field Directors, each representing one of Little League’s nine regions, who are nominated by their peers for election to four-year terms by their region’s District Administrators.

The members of the Little League International Board of Directors are volunteers in this service to Little League^® Baseball and Softball. They receive no compensation for their dedicated work on behalf of the program and the children of the world.

The post Loni N. Kline Elected to Little League® International Board of Directors appeared first on Little League.

Following yet another successful 2024 Girls with Game^® Month celebration, and as local leagues get their spring seasons underway, Little League^® and DICK’S Sporting Goods are proud to announce an extension of their partnership, furthering their commitment to local Little League programs, families, and communities.

“Since the beginning of this partnership, DICK’S Sporting Goods has been committed to creating a positive impact in Little League communities, where the grassroots of our program comes to life, while also providing engaging opportunities when Little League is on the biggest stage at our World Series events,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Business Relationship Officer. “We are so proud to extend our partnership and to create new ways to enhance the Little League program and support our long-term vision. We look forward to an exciting year of firsts in 2024 and more importantly look forward to an even more exciting future over the next two years.”

The official partnership began in 2017 and the relationship between DICK’S Sporting Goods has continued to grow in scope and support of Little League, including the commitment of resources to Little League programs at the local level. Through the partnership, Little League has also created unique ways to celebrate The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, including the annual “Sports Matter Monday” activations during the Little League Baseball^® World Series, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Equipment Grant Program, and its ongoing support of Little League’s female inclusion initiatives.

Additionally, DICK’S Sporting Goods has expanded its partnership of Little League to include:

• Becoming a proud supporter of the Little League Girls with Game 50 Celebration and the organization’s overall female initiative strategy.
• Serving as the first-ever presenting sponsor of the Little League Softball^® World Series in 2024, which includes broadcast and presence-building assets, and extended support of the 50^th Anniversary of the event.
• Signing on as the presenting sponsor of the Athletes Unlimited Pro Games at the Little League Softball World Series starting in 2024, furthering their support of the sport from the grassroots level to the professional stage.

• Supporting the resources for Little League’s youngest divisions of play, including presenting sponsorship of “The Basics” video series.
• Providing enhanced benefits and resources to local leagues and families through GameChanger, which is owned and operated by DICK’S Sporting Goods, The Official Team Management Technology Partner of Little League.
• Offering ongoing equipment support of LLWS tournaments through A.D. Starr, the Official Ball Supplier of the Little League World Series.

“Championing youth sports has always been a priority for our company, which is why we are thrilled to extend our partnership with Little League Baseball & Softball and to have the opportunity to continue to support all of their programming,” said Mark Rooks, VP of Creative, Sponsorships and Entertainment at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “Together, we are equipping youth athletes with the tools they need to succeed in sport and instilling values of teamwork and sportsmanship that will endure long after their playing careers are over.”

As part of this continued relationship, DICK’S Sporting Goods has strengthened their commitment to deepening Little League connections in local communities, supporting the youngest level of the program at the Tee Ball and Coach Pitch divisions of play, further increasing their support of Little League’s girls’ inclusion initiatives and the Little League Softball program, providing additional support to lessen financial barriers of entries for families, continuing to support the experience at all seven World Series events, and more.

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, offer unparalleled benefits to those member leagues, support the social impact initiatives of the organization and its local communities, and provide the necessary funding and resources to support local leagues at the grassroots level. 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 provide access and opportunities so that local leagues may offer the best programs possible, helping ensure that players and volunteers can have a fun and rewarding Little League experience while supporting their community.

To learn more about how DICK’S Sporting Goods 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.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods

DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile platform for live streaming, scheduling, communications and scorekeeping.

Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.

The post Little League® and DICK’S Sporting Goods Celebrate #GWG50 with Partnership Extension Through 2026 appeared first on Little League.

Little League^® International honors the memory of Malcolm Joseph Deason, a coach for the 2017 Southwest Region team at the Little League Baseball^® World Series, who has passed away at the age of 48.

Mr. Deason, a resident of Lufkin, Texas, was very active in his local community and helped coach his son, Malcolm, and the rest of the Lufkin (Texas) Little League team to a Southwest Region championship title and a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

In addition to his volunteer service as a Little League coach, Mr. Deason was the Lufkin Market President at Cadence Bank. Previously, he was the Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking at Southside Bank.

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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/.

The post New York Life Commits to Little League® Baseball and Softball, Including Support of Community Heroes Recognition Program appeared first on Little League.

Throughout her career working for Little League^®, Becky Bassett has served in a variety of roles, responded to countless questions, and has become the calming, reassuring, and informed voice for local league volunteers as they support the Little League program and communities.

Born and raised in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, and a resident of nearby Cogan Station, Mrs. Bassett has spent her entire life less than 30 minutes away from the Little League International Complex in South Williamsport. While Mrs. Bassett did not join the Little League staff until her daughters, Beth and Brooke, were in school, her family understood the importance of Little League and the values that it provides to communities all around the world.

Little League Starts at Home

“Both my daughters played softball as kids and were quite good,” said Mrs. Bassett. “However, there were no Little League Softball programs in the area at that time. I volunteered as a scorekeeper for their teams.”

Fast forward a generation. Now grandparents, Mrs. Bassett and her husband, Bob, have five granddaughters and two grandsons – all of which played Little League – while Beth, Brooke, and their husbands all contributed to the program as volunteers.

“My daughters both volunteered with their local Little League as a board member, a coach, concession stand workers, and fundraisers,” said Mrs. Bassett. “My husband played Little League when he was a kid and both sons-in- law were involved in umpiring and coaching. So, yes, you could say we grew into a Little League family.”

Starting the Professional Journey

When Mrs. Bassett decided to pursue opportunities that called for her unique organizational and interpersonal talents, it did not take long for her and Little League to connect. In 33 years of service to the company, she has forged a professional bond that has grown into a respected partnership with staff and volunteers.

“I have always loved that Williamsport is known as the ‘home’ of Little League, so when an opening came up with the organization, I went after it,” said Mrs. Bassett. “My first position was as a Region Coordinator overseeing the Southeast and Canada Regions. About 10 years later, I assumed the title of Operations Coordinator, and throughout my years, the need to clearly communicate and connect with people has grown so much.”

Every day starts with reviewing and answering emails, taking phone calls, checking voicemails, and simply preparing for what each new day may bring. In a technology driven world, Little League is constantly evolving, and an ever-increasing volume of Mrs. Bassett’s conversations place her as the gatekeeper to a multitude of information. Simply put, unequaled, first-class customer service.

“Customer service is the most important thing we do here,” said Mrs. Bassett. “If you do not have good customer service and relations with the people you are serving, you are not doing the organization any good. That is the easiest part of my job.”

“I have been a D.A. for the past 16 years and Becky Bassett has been my go-to person when I need answers! Whether it be chartering issues with my leagues or insurance questions or incorporation procedures, Becky has been the person I lean on for prompt answers. She is always professional and gracious in her email correspondence and her timely responses have been greatly appreciated!”

– Jennie Todd
Pennsylvania District 23 Administrator

Behind the Numbers

Explaining tax exempt information and IRS tax codes, league incorporation, and processing new leagues makes for a typical day. Dealing with the IRS information often feels like a different language to many, and much of Mrs. Bassett’s invaluable expertise comes with her ability to translate that “language” into understandable terms for volunteers. It is her everyday goal to provide the service that people need to feel comfortable about managing those responsibilities for their league or district.

“I did have tax experience before coming to Little League,” said Mrs. Bassett. “I learned the tax language which translated well here. I actively pursue the latest information, and there is a large amount of research needed to keep up with the tax laws.”

Admitting there was plenty of “learning as you go,” Mrs. Bassett explained that conversing with volunteers is not difficult because we all want to help them succeed. “Volunteers are enthusiastic about what they want to do and that makes my job easier because you want to help them do a good job.”

Contributing a great deal to the numbers focused on the growth and development of Little League, Mrs. Bassett’s oversight of new leagues, discontinued leagues, program growth with team numbers, and year-end reports are among the tasks that become the status and statistical barometer for the Little League International Operations Department.

“Becky has always been a friendly face and a calming voice on the phone. It’s a pleasure to know and have worked with her over the years.”

– Dwayne Tuggle
Virginia District 2 Administrator

Switching Gears Throughout the Year

The Little League year moves quickly and never ends. It just shifts focus to best serve its volunteers based on the season.

Through the regular season, and into the tournament, Mrs. Bassett continues with her “day job” but also plays a critical role with managing tournament team participation and league verifications.

Once the Little League Baseball® World Series begins in August, she takes her customer service skills to the World Series media credential office. There, she assists with welcoming the hundreds of media representatives arriving to report on the tournament. Among her daily duties, she also manages the official World Series game lineup cards for every game of the world’s biggest youth sports tournament.

A Time for Thanks

The World Series is also the time of year when Mrs. Bassett is most visible, and without fail, volunteers she has spoken with and assisted throughout the years continue to seek her out to meet in-person and offer their thanks.

“Working in the media office during the World Series is fun, interesting, and challenging,” Mrs. Bassett said. “I have met so many interesting people from athletes, to celebrities, and volunteers from all over the world. The volunteers come in to see me because they are who I talk to throughout the year. When they get the opportunity to come to Williamsport, they often pop in to say, ‘Hello!’”

The weeks following the end of the tournament season are all about year-end reporting and planning for the coming season.

“I get dozens of emails per day that require responses,” said Mrs. Bassett. “From when I started until now, we have made so much more available to volunteers through the Little League Data Center and other resources on the Little League website. That helps, but it stirs other questions that require our help to guide them.”

“Mrs. Becky is amazing! She has always worked to ensure that if leagues had a problem that it was resolved quickly so that the kids would be able to play. In my 24 years of being with Little League, Mrs. Becky has assisted me and more leagues than I can imagine and at the end of the day because of her work, Louisiana has more leagues and kids playing Little League than we did 10 years ago! Thank You Mrs. Becky!”

– Michael Marler
Louisiana District 3 Administrator

There’s No ‘I’ in “Team”

In addition to all her day-to-day work, Mrs. Bassett is admired and applauded by the organization for being the founder and emotional heartbeat of the American Cancer Society’s Little League Relay for Life team – the Intentional Walkers. Beginning in 2004, teamed with a corps of resolute Little League employees, Mrs. Bassett honored the memory of her sister, Linda Bailey Smith, by helping raise more than $250,000 in Little League’s name for the American Cancer Society.

“Those were the best times I’ve ever had at Little League,” said Mrs. Bassett. “Cancer touches everybody and it took no convincing at all to organize the Relay for Life team. Doing yard sales, bingos, raffles, and all kinds of fundraising, was so much fun. I am immensely proud of that accomplishment, but all the credit goes to the team. They were just awesome!”

Into her fourth decade of supporting the goals, ideals, and people that make Little League special, Mrs. Bassett is quick to declare, “I’m in no hurry to retire. I like where I am, and I love my job! I really do because I get to help people all day long. I don’t think I would enjoy my work as much as I do if I didn’t honestly believe in the program and the people.”

This is the fourth in a series of Little League International Staff Spotlights that will focus on the Women In Little League (WILL) as part of the overall Girls with Game 50 Celebration (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.

• January Staff Spotlight – Joy Reynolds McCoy
• February Staff Spotlight – Nina Johnson-Pitt
• March Staff Spotlight – Beata Kaszuba-Baker

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As the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) season officially gets underway, Little League^® and MLB are pleased to announce the return of its MLB Little League Days program in 2024, providing unique opportunities for local Little League programs to bring their players to experience professional baseball in a fun and exciting way.

New in 2024, the unique experience will also add opportunities with Minor League Baseball (MiLB) clubs across the nation, helping to connect more Little Leaguers^® to professional baseball players while enhancing community relations with the local leagues.

“Experiencing the fun and excitement of a professional baseball game is a memory that every child remembers throughout their entire life, and thanks to our growing relationship with Major League Baseball, we can continue to offer increased opportunities through our Little League Days each year,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Business Relationship Officer. “We encourage all our leagues, families, and communities to take advantage of this opportunity and bring this memorable experience to life for their players.”

As part of the growing partnership between Little League and MLB, “Little League Days” allow local youth baseball and softball players to experience a professional baseball game at a ballpark near them. This year, nearly all 30 MLB clubs, as well as a variety of MiLB clubs, will be opening their ballparks to provide memorable opportunities and experiences the players will carry with them for a lifetime.

While each club’s Little League Days are set to be unique, many will provide discounted tickets for Little Leaguers, the opportunity to use tickets as fundraisers, and the chance for a special on-field experience. Learn more and find an event near you:

Major League      Minor League

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With baseball and softball season officially underway, Little League^® and Dairy Queen^® are teaming up to offer families across the United States a $1 small cone when their young athletes wear their youth sports uniforms to their local DQ restaurant this summer.

Between now and July 31, 2024, families are encouraged to stop by participating DQ locations after their game and to celebrate those cherished on- and off-field moments together with teammates, family, and coaches.

As the Official Postgame Destination of Little League for the second year in a row, Dairy Queen knows that the best moments to be celebrated are the ones the bring people together, and this offer is sure to put smiles on the faces of families this spring and summer.

The $1 small cone offer is available at participating DQ locations while supplies last. To stay up to date with all the latest information, be sure to download the DQ App Today and visit DairyQueen.com to find a location near you.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DQ

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