Reflecting On Our Year of Impact
Looking Back at the 2024 Season
The 2024 season was one of celebration, as we reaffirmed our commitment to ensuring the Little League® experience is inclusive and accessible for all. From honoring 50 years of amazing females who continue to step up to the plate through our Girls with Game 50 Celebration, to equipping underserved leagues through our Urban Initiative and establishing a disaster relief fund to address the impact of devastations on local leagues, we continue to evaluate and address the growing needs of the communities we serve to ensure long-lasting, positive change. Throughout the 2024 season, Little League continued its steadfast commitment to positively impacting youth and communities all around the world, but most importantly, we made a meaningful impact, creating memories and opportunities that will last a lifetime.
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Support Our Future Efforts
As a 501(c)3 non-profit committed to giving back to local leagues and communities around the world, Little League has remained a leader in the youth sports industry, but we still have so much work to do in order to bring the benefits of participating in Little League to more children and families. And to do that, in 2024, we launched five transformative funds to address the evolving needs of local leagues and communities. Together, these funds symbolize our dedication to inclusivity, integrity, and community, creating a brighter future for the youth and families we serve.
Letter From The Chairman
As we reminisce on another successful Little League® season spotlighted by our Girls with Game 50 Celebration, let’s take some time to reflect back on the incredible displays of teamwork as we rallied around our communities to ensure each of our players had a season filled with fun.
Girls with Game 50 Celebration
Throughout the course of the year, Little League honored 50 years of girls in the Little League program through its Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Celebration through a variety of digital content, in-person events, and local league support. Check out some of the highlights below, and visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50 for a full overview of the year’s celebration and how this helps set the organization up to inspire the next generation of Girls with Game in the future.
A World Series Filled with Fun and TEAMWORK
Spotlighted by the 50th Anniversary of the LLSWS, this year’s World Series Tournament saw a number of other exciting and memorable moments, including:
LEARN MOREORGANIZATIONAL IDENTITY STRENGTHENED WITH CORE VALUES
FIVE CORE VALUES IDENTIFIED AND NEW PHILANTHROPY AND SOCIAL IMPACT DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED.
GROWING THE GAME AND SUPPORTING LOCAL LEAGUES Around the World
Led by a newly defined Organizational Identity, and equipped with new leadership on the horizon, this year saw a number of ways to support and grow local leagues in communities around the world, both now and for the future. Below are just some of the key moments from this past year, and we look forward to bringing the values of the Little League program to life in 2025 and beyond.
Continued Partner Support
You Gotta Believe, Inspiring Story of 2002 LLBWS Team from Texas
You Gotta Believe—the inspiring new movie based on the real-life 2002 Westside Little League All-Stars from Fort Worth, Texas—tells the story of the Southwest Region team that underwent a transformational journey from district underdog to taking its place in the Little League® World Series record books in a showdown that became an instant ESPN classic.
Honoring Community and Teamwork
Little League was once again proud to recognize a number of individuals who made a difference in their community with various awards throughout the year, as well as earn its own awards for its content and recognitions.
WELCOME TO THE LITTLE LEAGUE HALL OF EXCELLENCE
Patrick Wilson Appointed as Next President and Chief Executive Officer
For more than 40 years, Little League International has expanded and thrived under the dedicated leadership of Stephen D. Keener, who announced that he will retire as President and Chief Executive Officer on December 31, 2024. On Wednesday, May 29, the Little League International Board of Directors appointed Patrick Wilson as the organization’s next President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025.
Celebrating THE LEGACY OF Stephen D. KeeneR
The 2024 season marked the final year of Stephen D. Keener’s historic Little League career, celebrating decades of service as the organization’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
Read In MemoriamsLeaving A Legacy
As we look back on those we lost, we honor the achievements and impact of those who came before us.