Dear Girls With Game,
You Belong. It’s simple. You belong on the field. You belong in the dugout. You belong on the mound and in the circle. You belong in the batter’s box. You belong in the spotlight; in the scorebook; in the sport.
You belong even when you fail because it’s in those moments, when you’re embarrassed or mad at yourself, that you learn the most. It won’t be the last time you fail, but each time you bounce back, it gets easier.
You belong when you succeed, when you and your teammates are celebrating and singing, it’s those moments that make all the hard times seem that much better.
Growing up, I had a front row seat on how important sports were for my sister. From my earliest memories of sport, girls belonged, with my dad spending countless hours sitting on the bucket as my sister worked on her pitching. The Little League fields were where the best friendships were forged. It’s where connections were deepened amongst our families and the families of her teammates. It’s where we supported each other…cheered for each other. And now, as we celebrate the 2024 Little League season, that journey came full circle with my sister and her former teammates coaching their daughters together, with my dad back in the dugout. The next generation of Girls with Game.
There are countless people, people you don’t even know, that are rooting for you to succeed and are there to help you brush yourself off.
So, when you feel like you’re not good enough to try to pitch. When you feel like you’re going to strike out. When you have those nerves hit you – whether it’s before your first practice or when you’re getting in the batter’s box for the 20th time – remember, you belong.
Your fan,
Brian McClintock, Little League Senior Communications Executive
NOTE: The “Dear Girls with Game” letter series is a piece of the #GWG50 Celebration in 2024, with written letters from staff members from Little League International focused at inspiring the next generation of Girls with Game. 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.