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Little League® Set for Another Historic Summer of Softball in 2025

After already watching a pair of alumnae earn their Golden Ticket to the AUSL College Draft, and an April filled with the first-ever Little League Softball® Unlimited events, Little League® is set for yet another exciting Summer of Softball in 2025, bringing the spotlight to the incredible Girls with Game® from all around the world.    […]

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After already watching a pair of alumnae earn their Golden Ticket to the AUSL College Draft, and an April filled with the first-ever Little League Softball® Unlimited events, Little League® is set for yet another exciting Summer of Softball in 2025, bringing the spotlight to the incredible Girls with Game® from all around the world.   

“The spotlight on the game of softball has never been stronger, but we are only cracking the surface on bringing the game to girls all around the world,” said Ashlea Miller, Little League Director of Softball Development. “As we gear up for another exciting Summer of Softball, we hope that this celebration of the game from the grassroots level to the professional stage helps inspire the next generation of Girls with Game to grab a glove and head out to their local field to learn what the Little League experience is all about.”  

Since 2018, Little League has seen about an 8% growth in its softball program, which today welcomes more than 25,000 softball teams and 300,000 participants in more than 25 countries around the world.

“As the world’s most trusted youth sports organization, we have continued to strengthen our commitment to female participation within our program and support of the game of softball all around the world,” said Pat Wilson, Little League President and CEO. “The growth we have seen in our softball program these past few years only begins to show how important this game is for young girls and we are dedicated to providing the resources and opportunities to give our softball players an experience unlike any other.”  

As the spotlight continues to shine on softball, check out just some of the key moments to watch out for this summer:  

Alumnae Competing at the WCWS 

2025 Women's College World Series logo

Every year, a group of Little League graduates earn their way to Oklahoma City to compete in the Women’s College World Series (WCWS), representing the best in the game across NCAA Division I Softball for a chance to take home the championship trophy. With 10 graduates having already played in both the Little League Softball World Series and the WCWS over the years, and the 64-team Division I tournament officially underway, be sure to check back at LittleLeague.org in the coming weeks to find out what graduates will make the trip to the 2025 WCWS.  

AUSL Alumnae Kicking Off Inaugural Season 

Following an exciting “This is Legendary” Preseason Tour, the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) officially kicks off on June 7 with an all-star lineup of Little League alumnae taking the field, including a pair who competed at the Little League Softball World Series:  

  • Aleshia Ocasio (Blaze)  Conway LL (Orlando, Fla.) 
  • Aliyah Andrews (Blaze)  Oldsmar (Fla.) LL 
  • Carley Hoover (Blaze) – South Simpsonville LL (Clemson, S.C.) – 2008 LLSWS Champion 
  • Caroline Jacobsen (Talons) – Chaires-Capitola LL (Tallahassee, Fla.) 
  • Devyn Netz (Bandits)  Sierra Madre (Calif.) LL 
  • Hannah Flippen (Talons) – Sweetwater Valley LL (Bonita, Calif.) 
  • Jessi Warren (Volts)  Citrus Park LL (Tampa, Fla.) 
  • Lexi Kilfoyl (Bandits) – Land O’Lakes (Fla.) LL 
  • Mariah Lopez (Talons)  Santa Rita LL (Tucson, Ariz.) 
  • Mia Davidson (Bandits)  Orange County LL (Hillsborough, N.C.) 
  • Morgan Zerkle (Bandits)  Ona-Milton (W.V.) LL 
  • Rachel Garcia (Volts)  California District 51 LL (Lancaster, Calif.) 
  • Raelin Chaffin (Talons)  Bossier LL (Bossier City, La.) – 2014 LLSWS 

In addition to those competing on the field, Little League Hall of Excellence Enshrinees, Cat Osterman (2016) and Jenny Dalton-Hill (2022), are set as two of the four new General Managers while former Little Leaguers®Stacey Nuveman-Deniz and Kelly Kretschman will also play a key role in the new league, serving as two of the four Head Coaches. Learn more about the AUSL, including the full schedule, at TheAUSL.com.  

LLWS™ First-Round Pairings 

2025 Little League World Series International Tournament

Be sure to tune in to YouTube.com/LittleLeague and LittleLeague.org during National Little League Week (June 9-15) as the first-round matchups of the 2025 Little League Softball World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, are set to be announced via random drawing on Wednesday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m. ET. To learn more about this year’s event, including visitor information and how to book your trip to experience the Region Tournaments or any of the Little League, Junior League, or Senior League Softball World Series, check out LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries 

Record Softball Broadcast Schedule 

Starting with a Little League Softball West Region matchup between Utah and Northern California on Saturday, July 19, at Noon ET on ESPN+, there will be a total of 129 softball games broadcast on ESPN Platforms over the course of five weeks in 2025. As part of that action-packed schedule also includes a record number 27 softball games set to air on linear networks, featuring all seven U.S. Region Championship games as well as 13 of the 22 games at the LLSWS, including the championship game on ABC for the third-consecutive year.  

AUSL Pro Games at the LLSWS 

The Summer of Softball is planning to take over ESPN2 on Wednesday, August 6, with a pair of Little League Softball World Series games set to kick off the day (10 a.m. and 1 p.m.) before transitioning to the pros as AUSL heads to Greenville, North Carolina, for the 2025 AUSL Pro Games at the LLSWS, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, with a doubleheader in front of the LLSWS participants and their families.   

Similar to previous years, the pro softball players will make the most out of their time at the LLSWS, spending the day on Tuesday, August 5, interacting with the LLSWS participants at Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park to help build the bridge between Little Leaguers and their role models.  

Girls with Game Experience 

2025 GWG Experience event page logo

The Summer of Softball will carry into the fall as for the fourth-straight year, collegiate softball will also be returning to the home of the Little League Baseball® World Series with the 2025 Little League® Girls with Game® Experience, set to be held at Howard J. Lamade Stadium on October 4, 2025. While the four participating NCAA Division I Softball teams will be announced later this summer, registration for the morning’s instructional softball clinic is officially open. 

In addition to everything outlined above, Little League will also join the world in celebration of World Softball Day on June 13. To learn more about the Little League Softball program, including information on how to start up a league in your own community, visit LittleLeague.org/Softball 



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How teens are using sports to improve their mental health

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — As concerns over youth mental health continue to grow, communities are turning to an outlet to help young people cope: sports. From physical activity to social support, studies show playing sports can have long-lasting mental health benefits.            What You Need To Know North Carolina FC Youth […]

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WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — As concerns over youth mental health continue to grow, communities are turning to an outlet to help young people cope: sports. From physical activity to social support, studies show playing sports can have long-lasting mental health benefits. 

 

        What You Need To Know

  • North Carolina FC Youth knows youth sports can serve as an outlet to alleviate stress
  • From physical activity to social support, studies show playing sports can have long-lasting mental health benefits
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study in 2023 that found 40% of these teens said that they’ve dealt with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year
  • Some programs also offer financial aid for families, making it easier to access youth leagues regardless of income

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2023, a study found that among high school students across the nation, in the past year many teens face mental health issues. According to the study, 40% of these teens said that they’ve dealt with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year. Nationwide, 20% of teens reported seriously considering attempting suicide in the past year.

In 2023, the CDC reported how teen’s mental health is taking a decline. (Spectrum News)

North Carolina FC Youth is the largest club in North Carolina, offering soccer to children from the ages of 5 to 18 across the Triangle. Lucia Namey, an NCFC Youth soccer player, said the game means everything to her.

“It was genuinely life-changing for me,” Namey said. “I don’t know where I’d be without soccer.”

Namey recently injured a ligament in her knee. 

“With injuries, they’re just very isolating, and you feel very lonely, because no one knows exactly what you are going through,” Namey said.

She said that if it weren’t for the support of her teammates, she wouldn’t have been able to get through her injury.

“Everyone showed up for me when I need their support the most,” Namey said. “I think that in moments like that, when you’re at your lowest, having a big circle around you, showing you love, helps get you through because you know that you’re not alone, even when you do feel alone.”

Her favorite part of being on the team is the strong support system that sports teams like these can bring.

“Being here definitely just boosts your mood. I leave feeling much happier,” Namey said. “I can be having the worst day, and I know that I’ll leave here feeling so much better.”

For her, it’s not only about the support of her teammates, but also being able to let off some steam and be physically active after school.

Lucia Namey, NCFC Youth soccer player, is out with an ACL injury, but she still comes to practices to support her teammates. (Spectrum News 1/Ashley Van Havere)

“You get that anger out, you get to express yourself in a different way that’s not screaming or yelling at someone,” Namey said.

It’s not just about the exercise, NCFC Youth Chief Marketing and Development Officer Katharine Eberhardt said the social side of sports plays a huge role in mental well-being.

“Mental health is such an important topic, it always has been, and especially now, it’s a part of the conversation,” Eberhardt said. “We want parents to be talking with their kids, we want coaches to be talking with their their players.”

With a world full of screen time, Eberhardt said it’s becoming even more important for activities like these to exist.

“It’s great to have an outlet where we can create this environment that allows kids some freedom to become friends,” Eberhardt said.

For NCFC Youth Coach Tom Misuraca, it’s all about watching the teens grow as people and have fun on the field.

“You just got to keep them up and keep them going, get their confidence back, let them know they’re doing a good job and just be there for them and talk to them when they when they get down,” Misuraca said.

For these kids, the real win isn’t just what’s on the scoreboard, but it’s in feeling supported. Sports doesn’t fix everything, but it might just be part of the solution. 

Some programs also offer financial aid for families, making it easier to access youth leagues regardless of income. If you’re interested in joining a youth sports team, here are some helpful resources:

NCFC Youth sign-ups

City of Raleigh’s youth athletics

YMCA of the Triangle’s youth sports

Town of Cary’s youth sports

Town of Wake Forest’s youth sports

 

Related Stories

 



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Updated Decision on Age Group Formation from US Youth Soccer, AYSO, and US Club Soccer

  FRISCO, Texas (June 10, 2025) – Following extensive review and discussion, US Youth Soccer, AYSO, and US Club Soccer have collectively decided to move to an age group player formation cycle that runs from August 1 to July 31, starting with the 2026-27 season/registration year. This change was made based on additional critical feedback, […]

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FRISCO, Texas (June 10, 2025) – Following extensive review and discussion, US Youth Soccer, AYSO, and US Club Soccer have collectively decided to move to an age group player formation cycle that runs from August 1 to July 31, starting with the 2026-27 season/registration year. This change was made based on additional critical feedback, data, and expert input to better align players with their school-grade peers. Our associations feel that this age group player formation will be the most inclusive and help increase participation.

The August 1 to July 31 age group player formation cycle will be used for all USYS league and Cup competitions for the 2026-27 season/registration year including: National Championships, Presidents Cup, and National League.

US Youth Soccer CEO Tom Condone addressed the adjustment to the registration process: “At US Youth Soccer, our mission is to support the development of every player. After careful collaboration with our partners and listening to our membership, we believe this shift to an August 1 player formation cycle better aligns with school calendars, supports social and individual needs, and ultimately enhances the youth soccer experience for families across the country.”

As a reminder, under U.S. Soccer’s new policy, each Federation member can determine age group registration rules for the leagues and competitions they operate or sanction. To support this transition, U.S. Soccer has introduced a tool to help parents and guardians easily understand the age groupings based on their child’s birthdate.

Again, please note that this decision is effective beginning with each Organization Member’s 2026-27 season/registration year.

READ MORE: Updates included in this article are pertaining to – US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO Returning to Seasonal-Year Age Group Formation in 2026


About US Youth Soccer

US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in the country, is on a mission to provide worldclass support, resources, and leadership, helping every member fulfill their goals on and off the field of play. US Youth Soccer registers 2.68 million players annually. Through its programming, resources and leadership, US Youth Soccer is advancing the game for its 54 Member State Associations, 10,000 clubs and leagues and one million administrators, coaches, and volunteers. US Youth Soccer connects families and communities to the power of sports and its shared love of soccer. US Youth Soccer provides a path for every player, coach and referee offering programs that provide a fun, safe and healthy environment at every level of the game.

About US Club Soccer

A National Association member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, US Club Soccer fosters the growth and development of soccer clubs in order to create the best possible development environment for players of all ages.

Anchored by Players First and its pillars of Club Development, Coaching Development, Player Development, Referee Development, Parent Engagement & Education and Player Health & Safety, US Club Soccer offers registration, league- and cup-based competition platforms, player identification and a variety of other programming, resources and services.

US Club Soccer is sponsored by Nike, DICK’S Sporting Goods and Gatorade.

About AYSO

American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) is a national nonprofit organization committed to delivering quality youth soccer programs in a fun, family-friendly environment. AYSO is rooted in Six Philosophies: Everyone Plays®, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, Good Sportsmanship, and Player Development. Now celebrating its 60th year since inception in 1964, AYSO programs span over 640 communities across the United States.

As a member organization of the U.S. Soccer Federation, all AYSO programs, including AYSO PLAY!, conform to U.S. Soccer standards for safety and player development curricula. Learn more about AYSO at www.ayso.org.





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La Pine youth sports get new life | La Pine / Sunriver News

LA PINE, Ore. — After the collapse of La Pine’s youth sports programs last fall, a Bend-based nonprofit is stepping up to help local kids get back in the game—offering financial aid and hope to families still recovering from the fallout. Every Kid Sports provides qualifying families with financial support to cover youth sports registration fees. “Sports […]

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LA PINE, Ore. — After the collapse of La Pine’s youth sports programs last fall, a Bend-based nonprofit is stepping up to help local kids get back in the game—offering financial aid and hope to families still recovering from the fallout. Every Kid Sports provides qualifying families with financial support to cover youth sports registration fees.

“Sports is more than just a game, as our mission states,” said Executive Director Eleana Ranaika. “It’s supporting life and part of life is community.”

When the non-profit heard about the struggles at the La Pine Park and Recreation District, the two organizations decided they could do more by working together as a team. 

“Every youth sport will need a body, and a body is $40,000 a year, and we just don’t have those types of funds with the situation we are left in. We’re slowly but surely recouping that and we’re going to get to where we can,” said LPRD Facilities Coordinator Wynn Malikowski.

In October 2024, the previous park and recreation board resigned and dismantled all youth recreation programs, citing financial issues. Since the recreation lacks the means to recreate youth sports, the LPRD Foundation provided a $4,000 donation to Every Kid Sports to help families make sports more affordable. 

“To provide scholarships for kids in the La Pine area to play sports,” said LPRD Foundation board member Brian Lusby. “Our goal is to, with the district losing the ability to, at least temporarily, provide those programs. We wanted to support all those kids and make sure everybody has an opportunity to play.”

Every Kid Sports will be at the La Pine Concert in the Park series this Thursday to accept the $4,000 donation.

“We support kids 4-to-18 years old who are currently receiving OHIP benefits and they can come and apply to every kid’s sports pass, and we will support up to $150 to pay their youth sports registration fee,” said Fanaika.

In addition, Every Kid Sports is planning to launch its “Born in Bend” campaign. That three-year initiative will support 2,500 kids throughout all of Central Oregon.

“This gracious donation by the foundation of $4,000, that’s probably close to 400 kids, this year that that will be able to play sports because the money that we’re funding is directly for our La Pine athletes,” said Malikowski.

Athletes will now have a better opportunity to get back on the field.



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KNEB-AM 960 AM – 100.3 FM

Former WNCC men’s head coach and former Northern Colorado assistant coach, Cory Fehringer, will be back in the area less than one month from now for a two day basketball camp that will be held at Bridgeport High School. The camp will feature help from Scottsbluff all-time great Dru Kuxhausen plus current WNCC […]

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Former WNCC men’s head coach and former Northern Colorado assistant coach, Cory Fehringer, will be back in the area less than one month from now for a two day basketball camp that will be held at Bridgeport High School.

The camp will feature help from Scottsbluff all-time great Dru Kuxhausen plus current WNCC men’s head coach Roybell Baez.

The dates for the two day camp will be June 30th and July 1st and is open to all girls and boys from grades 6th through 12th. The cost of the camp is $120.

There will be two sessions both days of the camp with session one each day running from 10 am to noon for boys 6th grade through 12th grade and session two will run from 2 pm to 4 pm for girls 6th through 12th grade.

Camp Focus – Fundamentals of Scoring: Hard to Guard

  • Footwork – Finishing – Shooting
  • 1v1, 2v2 triggers, 3v3 FIBA
  • Skills, Measurements, and Concepts

For more information or to get signed up you can email , or call Sean Sterkel at 308-279-1070 or Cory Fehringer at 970-580-7279.



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LaFollette Owls host youth basketball camp | Lafollette

The LaFollette Middle School boys basketball team hosted its annual youth basketball camp from June 9-11. “I look forward to camp every year. You know that,” head coach Ken Weaver said. “Same thing I tell you every year, numbers are down a little bit this year, as far as elementary. Normally with third- through fifth-graders, […]

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The LaFollette Middle School boys basketball team hosted its annual youth basketball camp from June 9-11.

“I look forward to camp every year. You know that,” head coach Ken Weaver said. “Same thing I tell you every year, numbers are down a little bit this year, as far as elementary. Normally with third- through fifth-graders, we have quite a few kids. We normally have it the first week of June, but the high school teams now are starting to have their team camps the first week school is out, so we had to push our camp to this week. I don’t know if that hurt the numbers where other camps have been going on or what. Anyway, we got a good turnout, good group of kids. We have some good talent coming up.”



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Stadium funding bill advances to House floor in special session | State News

JEFFERSON CITY — A bill including incentives to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri will move to the floor in the Missouri House of Representatives following committee approval Tuesday afternoon. The House Economic Development Committee passed the bill without making any changes. The Missouri Senate passed the legislation, along with two other […]

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JEFFERSON CITY — A bill including incentives to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri will move to the floor in the Missouri House of Representatives following committee approval Tuesday afternoon.

The House Economic Development Committee passed the bill without making any changes. The Missouri Senate passed the legislation, along with two other bills, last week in the first week of the special session.

The bill includes the Show-Me Sports Investment Act, which aims to help fund renovations to the Kansas City Chiefs’ stadium and building a new stadium for the Royals. The bill would allow up to 50% of stadium construction bond costs to be paid back with tax money generated at the stadiums.

Lawmakers are up against an end-of-June deadline to pass the legislation; Kansas passed a bill that would fund up to 70% of stadium costs and requires the teams to make a decision whether to stay in Missouri by the end of the month.

If the House votes to approve the legislation, it goes to Gov. Mike Kehoe’s desk for his signature. By placing the bill in the special session agenda, Kehoe indicated his support for the legislation.

Supporters of the bill say keeping the sports teams in Missouri is important for the economy. A New Bloomfield Republican told KOMU 8 on Monday that he believes the bill will keep jobs in Missouri.

Kathy Nelson, the president and CO of both Visit KC and the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation, agrees. She testified in favor of the bill before the Economic Development Committee on Tuesday.

“This bill was so critical to Kansas City, not only for the Royals and the Chiefs, and the stadiums, and keeping them in Missouri, but also selfishly the amateur sports tax credit,” Nelson said. “That’s a big, big deal to Kansas City and our region. So for us, to make sure that we’re able to continue to keep things like Big 12, NCAA, NAIA, Olympic type of things, and youth sports, that’s a huge deal and impact to our community.”

The bill is expected to pass the House; the chamber passed the stadium funding bill in the regular session before the Senate derailed the legislation.

However, the bill saw testimony against its passage on Tuesday, as well.

“It just spends an awful lot of money of the people of Missouri to give to wealthy team owners who don’t need it,” said Patrick Tuohey, a senior fellow at the Show-Me Institute. “And really, it won’t change their behavior. They will stay in Kansas City, and probably the Missouri side because it’s a good market. I think Missouri and Kansas City and Jackson County should be able to make the argument that we’re a great place to invest, but we’re not going to pay you to love us.”



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