Lombardia Little League out of Milano, Italy, has been named the 2023 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award recipient based on their conduct and interactions both on and off the field throughout its time in Greenville, North Carolina.
“As we have seen over the past weeks during our Region and World Series tournaments, the game of softball does such an amazing job bringing people together from all parts of the world, and at the root of all of that is the sportsmanship that is displayed by our players, coaches, and fans,” said Ashlea Miller, Little League Director of Softball Development. “As we celebrate the conclusion of the 2023 Little League Softball World Series, we are proud to present Lombardia Little League with the 2023 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award as their players and coaches have displayed tremendous sportsmanship, teamwork, and respect to all those around them during their time in Greenville.”
Presented for the first time during the 2021 Little League Softball® World Series, the Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award recognizes a team that shows what it means to be “Girls with Game” both on and off the field. The Little League® Girls with Game Initiative, originally launched in 2019, is dedicated to honoring all the girls and women who have made the Little League program what it is today and those who inspire the future generation of female participants at every level.
Members of the Little League International Staff, LLSWS Tournament Committee, participating managers, volunteers, and media were given the chance to vote on which team they believed should be recognized for this award. In addition, through its partnership with Athletes Unlimited and the first-ever AU Pro Games at the LLSWS where the athletes got to interact with the Little Leaguers over the course of two days, Little League International was able to have Athletes Unlimited Softball players contribute to the voting to ultimately determine this year’s recipient.
Once again this year, prior to the start of the 2023 Little League Softball World Series, all 12 participating teams also sgathered together for the Girls with Game Celebration to officially kick off this year’s event with a night of fun and excitement.
To learn more about Little League Girls with Game, including how you can celebrate in your own community, visit LittleLeague.org/GirlsWithGame. Also, don’t forget that Little League will also be celebrating its #GWG50 Campaign in 2024, marking just one of the many ways the organization is strengthening its strategic focus on female inclusivity and opportunity.
Previous Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award Recipients:
- 2021: Robinson (Texas) Little League
- 2022: Negros Occidental Little League (Bacolod City, Philippines)
- 2023: Lombardia Little League (Milano, Italy)