For the February edition of the Little League® Staff Spotlights, enjoy this first-person letter from Patrick Wilson, Little League President and Chief Executive Officer, as he walks you through his journey:
Before making my way inside the headquarters of Little League International as an employee, I was just a kid from Campbell Street here in Williamsport, riding my bike to the World Series field in August to watch baseball. Like the thousands who travel to the Little League Baseball® World Series every year, I sat in the stands and cheered for every home run and diving catch.
Years later, after graduating from Bloomsburg University, I returned to the World Series Complex, but this time, I was looking for a job. Little did I know it would be the opportunity that would change my life forever.
I made my way inside the doors of the main administration building to the lobby, where I waited to find out what the next years of my life would look like as a staff member. On that first day, sent out to find me was the first of many people who would have an impact on my life – then Little League Vice President of Operations, Joe Losch.
As Losch’s assistant, in a time before technology, I did manual tasks, which allowed me to learn a lot. During the Little League Baseball World Series, I handed out bats to the teams, counted the baseballs for the games that day, and pulled all the uniforms together for each player. Doing each job, I found my knowledge of the game’s rules and regulations growing deeper and deeper. Once the World Series ended, it was back to the office, answering phones and writing letters on behalf of the organization, giving me the opportunity to learn more about the support the organization provided, both then and now, to our local leagues around the world.
From my very first day with Little League, I took the work seriously, whether it was driving a car back from the Newark Airport for then-CEO, Dr. Creighton J. Hale; or, welcoming the teams to the complex for the World Series, watching their eyes light up at the sight of Lamade Stadium; or, traveling to Japan for the first time alone, which was a nerve-wracking but important trip to make. Fortunately, I have had great support and guidance over the years. There’s Dr. Hale, who gave me the opportunity; Joe Losch, who helped define my first role; and Steve Keener, who not only allowed me to work alongside him but also showed an immense interest in my development as a leader. Then you have all the District Administrators, too many to personally name and thank, who offered their support along the way, and all the people I continue to work with today, from our staff to our volunteers.
After two years, I began to work my way through the organization as Director of Regional Operations, Vice President of Operations, Senior Vice President and Chief Program Operations Officer, and finally Chief Operating Officer (2020-2024). Now, as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, I find myself reflecting on what my mom used to tell me as a kid.
She’d say, “to who much is given, much is expected,” and as I have moved through my professional career, these words have stuck with me as new responsibilities and opportunities and the expectations that come with each one are put in front of me, which includes the responsibilities of the people I work with, our volunteers, and the players in our program.
While there are countless stories I could tell from my career journey, there is one that always sticks out in my mind. In the early 2000s, a former volunteer District Administrator was visiting the LLBWS. He said, “You know what, I have earned a lot of one-dollar bills because of you.” He could see the confusion on my face, and he said, “You can’t imagine how many one-dollar bills I have won because people thought you weren’t going to last.” I’m sure, despite his confidence in me back then, he would be surprised to see me still sitting here. But I have always felt like there was one more thing for me to do at Little League and one more project for me to help cross the finish line. There are volunteers across the world who do the hard work at the local level and help bring to life the organization’s multiple baseball and softball World Series every summer, and it’s our job to support them in any way we can.
With more than 30 years of experience now behind me, I am often asked what advice I might have for the next generation who hope to find a career in the sports industry. When I started with Little League, I was not necessarily looking for a job in sports, I was just looking for a job. But, over the years, I have witnessed just how much competition there is within the industry, which demands a level of perseverance from the person looking to turn the game they love into a full-time career. So, to all of you out there looking to make your way into the industry, I encourage you to work hard, bet on yourself, and learn from all of those around you.
As we look to the future, on a personal level, I hope to carry on the passion and work that the leaders of Little League did before me. As an organization, there are many goals and projects that I look forward to that will require hard work at every level, and I hope to see one day that there are no longer barriers so that every kid has access to play on a Little League diamond.
This is the first in a series of Little League International Staff Spotlights, highlighting the career journey of the organization’s employees, which began during Little League’s Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Celebration (LittleLeague.org/GWG50) in 2024.