Following a quarter-century of service as an employee, and many more as a volunteer and player herself, Jen Colvin has announced her retirement from the Little League® organization, effective at the conclusion of the 2024 calendar year.
“Little League has always been such a meaningful piece of my life, from my early days on the field to all the amazing moments I have experienced as both a volunteer and employee,” said Ms. Colvin. “After working for the past 25 years as an employee for this organization, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many incredible volunteers, working alongside some of the most dedicated employees in the industry, and most importantly watching the smiles of thousands of children each year as they live out their own Little League experience. While I am excited to announce my retirement, I will miss the joy of working in this program each day and more importantly the people who make the organization such a special place.”
Ms. Colvin’s Little League career began on the softball fields in Rumford, Rhode Island, as one of the first girls to participate in the Little League program in the 1970s, eventually living out an experience that many young girls would one day only dream about – competing through the Little League International Tournament where in 1976 she led her team from Rhode Island to compete in the Region Tournament. Years later, she would give back to the sport she loved, first volunteering her time as a softball umpire and coach before eventually taking over and serving as a District Administrator.
Following years of volunteer service, however, it was time for Ms. Colvin to step into a larger role within the Little League organization. In 1999, she was hired as the South Region Assistant Director and just five years later, an opportunity opened up to take over as the Region Director, which she was proud to accept and take on a new leadership role. In 2008, just four years into her role as Region Director, she helped lead a major change as the Region Headquarters made its move from St. Petersburg, Florida, to its current home in Warner Robins, Georgia.
“Since her early days as a Little Leaguer to her more than two decades of service on our staff, Jen has always done whatever was best for the Little League program, even going as far as uprooting her new life in Florida to move our Region Headquarters to its new home in Georgia,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “It has been my honor and pleasure to work alongside Jen throughout my time at Little League and on behalf of all of us on staff and the thousands upon thousands that she has served over the years, I’d like to thank and congratulate Jen on a well-deserved retirement.”
During her time as Region Director, Ms. Colvin was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the South (and eventually Southeast) Region, as well as the oversight and execution of the Little League Baseball® and Little League Softball® Region Tournaments held at the facility each year. Most importantly, Ms. Colvin served as a resource for the thousands upon thousands of volunteers and players that participated throughout the Region, often spending time with them and offering her hand to help.
In December 2020, Ms. Colvin was once again elevated in her role at Little League, being named the Southeast and Southwest Region Operations Managing Director, where she would oversee the operations and development at each of the two respective regions to support the overall strategic efforts of the organization.
Along with all her service at the Region level, including operating the Region Tournaments each summer, Ms. Colvin also had responsibilities at the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, each August, serving as one of the official scorers where she would often be found along the scorer’s table in Volunteer Stadium.