Join Little League® as it concludes its year-long Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Celebration, honoring of 50 years of girls and women in its program, with a five-part docuseries detailing the history and future of the Little League Softball® program.
Set to debut with its first episode across LittleLeague.org and YouTube.com/LittleLeague on December 2, “Beyond the Diamond: Celebrating 50 Years of Little League Softball” showcases all aspects of the Little League program, from the history that began the softball program to where it is heading in the future.
With a new episode set to air each week, the five-part series features interviews with some of the biggest names in the softball industry, including Jessica Mendoza, Amanda Scarborough, Jenny Dalton-Hill, Michele Smith, and more.
Throughout the series, each episode covers a span of time that focuses on what was happening within the program as well as historical moments that may have influenced the program and its development. Check out a synopsis of each episode below:
Episode One: Participation for All
Learn about how the Little League Softball program first came to fruition in the 1970s, what caused momentum to start the program, and how its humble beginnings began to change the mentality of females in sports. Join the pioneers that led the charge to allow girls into the Little League program and learn about the integrity they showed to make the opportunities of today possible.
Episode Two: The Building of a Program
Experience the Little League Softball program as it starts to take shape and gain more popularity and more exposure. Understand what challenges the program would face and who was involved in getting Little League Softball on its feet during the early years.
Episode Three: Growing the Program
Join us on the journey as the softball program grows, including the addition of more teams in the World Series and an increasing focus around league development. As more games begin to be added to ESPN platforms, and the game of softball grows in the spotlight, interest and investment by communities and major sponsors around the game begins to rise.
Episode Four: Softball Worldwide
As the World Series expands to provide more opportunity, and Little League partners with Athletes Unlimited to bring professional softball directly to its participants, the Little League Softball program continues to grow and showcase the importance of Girls with Game all around the world.
Episode Five: Building the Future
While Little League celebrates the 50th Anniversary of its softball program and inclusion of girls within its organization, it is only the beginning as it sets course for the future with an increased focus on female inclusivity and promotion of Girls with Game.
Today, the Little League Softball program showcases more than 25,000 softball teams and 300,000 participants, offering young girls the opportunity to enjoy the unique benefits in more than 25 countries around the world. To learn more about the Little League Softball program, including how to add softball to your existing Little League program, visit LittleLeague.org/Softball.
To learn more about the Girls with Game 50 Celebration, 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.