Celebrates #GWG50 Campaign in 2024
Published: August 25, 2023
In celebration of 50 years of female inclusion and the 50th Anniversary of the Little League Softball® World Series (LLSWS) in 2024, Little League® Baseball and Softball is pleased to announce the launch of its “Girls with Game 50” Campaign (#GWG50) as part of a historic day at the AU Pro Games at the LLSWS, marking just one of the many ways the organization is strengthening its strategic focus on female inclusivity and opportunity.
“Over the last 50 years, we have been on a steady journey toward making Little League more accessible for girls and women,” says Nina Johnson-Pitt, Little League Senior Strategy Executive. “To truly be a program for all, we need to be intentional about leading with equity. Through some of the efforts outlined below, along with a variety of strategic efforts we are continuing to develop, our hope is that by 2032, there will truly be equal opportunities for participation among girls in the Little League program.”
While the #GWG50 Campaign will continue to grow and develop closer to the start of the 2024 season, below are just some of the fun and exciting opportunities that are ahead.
Continued Focus on Female Inclusion
Over the past 50 years, the Little League program has become important in setting the foundation for female inclusion within the organization and youth sports. Looking ahead to the future, it is critically important for Little League to continue to find new ways to inspire, welcome, and develop the girls and women involved at every level, from the players on the field to the coaches, officials, and volunteers who make the experience possible each year.
To aid in these strategic efforts, Little League has committed itself to prioritizing its focus on providing the necessary funding, research, and resources to increase female inclusion and opportunity within every level of the program. Additionally, Little League will continue to work to find supporting organizations and partnerships that align with these same goals and values in hopes of providing the best possible support system to develop and achieve these goals.
“As part of our ongoing effort to provide more opportunities for girls and women, we’ve partnered with The Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport and DePaul University to pursue specific research to learn about current strengths and weaknesses related to engaging girls and women in the program, and to pilot a coach-training specific to coaching girls,” says Johnson-Pitt. “The goal is to measure what is currently working and not working for making Little League Baseball and Softball accessible to girls, measure any differences in different locations where Little League operates related to gender equity, and pilot coach training in one location and measure its impact. We look forward to using the results to help guide future decisions to make Little League more equitable for girls and women across all aspects of the program.”
Some of the strategic efforts include creating initiatives and programmatic changes to increase access, offering creative and innovative programming, renovating fields, creating coaching opportunities for females, providing useful resources for fostering an inclusive environment for all females to succeed, and hosting events to encourage and inspire female participation.
To learn more about Little League Girls with Game, including how you can celebrate in your own community, visit LittleLeague.org/GirlsWithGame.
About Little League®
Founded in 1939, Little League® is the world’s largest organized youth sports program, with approximately two million players (ages 4-16) play baseball and softball in communities across every U.S. state and over 80 other countries. Operated by more than one million volunteers, Little League believes in the power of youth baseball and softball to teach life lessons that build stronger individuals and communities. From professional athletes and award-winning celebrities to public officials and other influential members of society, Little League graduates have taken the lessons they learned on and off the field to create the next chapter of the Little League story. Each year, millions of people follow the hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship that Little Leaguers® display at our seven baseball and softball World Series events, the premier tournaments in youth sports. For more information, visit LittleLeague.org and follow Little League (@LittleLeague) on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. When we all come together, we are truly One Team. One Little League.