For the May edition of the Little League® Staff Spotlights, enjoy this first-person letter from D’Asha Saiki, Operations Specialist, as she walks you through her journey:
Finding My Passion
Sometimes, life opens doors to places you least expect.
My story is a little bit different. I grew up in Mililani, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu, where baseball and softball played a prominent role in my childhood. At first, it was my brother who played baseball, while I supported him from the bleachers. But, after spending day after day at the fields, my parents decided it was my turn to lace up my cleats, grab a glove, and step onto a softball diamond.
I fell in love with the game instantly. The field turned into my palace where I could express who I am and learn the beautiful lessons of the game. That early exposure and development led me to play competitively at the collegiate level at the University of California-Berkeley.
Although my love for sports started at a young age, my career path wasn’t a straight line. My undergraduate major was Psychology. I was always interested in human interaction, day-to-day conversations, and how the brain works. It wasn’t until I went to pursue my master’s degree at Fresno State University that I found my true professional passion was in sports.
Spending a Summer with Little League
The opportunity to work at Little League® came when I least expected it. I was scrolling through TeamWork Online, frantically looking for an internship. As I was scrolling, I came across Little League’s opening for a Softball Operations Intern. The position immediately caught my eye. I remember scrambling to get my resume, application, and cover letter together, trying to land an interview.
Pretty quickly after submitting my application, I was sitting in front of Ashlea Miller, Little League Director of Softball and Development, for an interview. She immediately made me feel like I belonged. I could hear the passion in her voice for the work that she does day-to-day and how much she cares about the Little League Softball® program. It was during this interview, listening to Ashlea speak, that made me want to be part of the organization and bring that same drive and energy.
A couple of weeks later, I got the call that I had earned the position. I was overcome with emotion and called my parents immediately to let them know that I would be a little far from home during the summer.
During the internship, I was exposed to all the on-field processes and behind-the-scenes work that make the magic happen at the Little League Softball World Series (LLSWS). While in Greenville, I tried to be a sponge and learn as much as I could, as I met several individuals from the organization who traveled to Greenville for the tournament.
Once the LLSWS ended, my internship was scheduled to officially end, but I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. I had such a phenomenal experience during the LLSWS that I wanted to experience and see what the Little League Baseball® World Series had in store in Williamsport. I asked Ashlea if I could join her to help in Williamsport, and before I knew it, I found myself at the pinnacle of youth sports.
I was enamored with everything the LLBWS had to offer, specifically the MLB Little League Classic. It was so exciting to see all the professional athletes interact with the kids, signing autographs, and providing core memories that the athletes will remember for the rest of their lives.
Transitioning to a Full-Time Role
After one of the best summers of my life, it was time to end an incredible chapter of my career and begin a new one. But, as I was looking for jobs, I went on vacation to New York City with my family. As we were walking the streets in the Big Apple, I happened to run into Aaron Weber, the East Region Director. It was one of those “What are the chances of that happening?” moments, and it gave me a feeling that my chapter with Little League wasn’t over.
Less than two months later, I unexpectedly received a call in December from Dan Velte, Little League Vice President of Operations, offering me a full-time position.
When I received that call, all the emotions hit me at once. I was excited, proud of myself, relieved, and honestly, even a little anxious thinking about a full-time move. After giving it some thought and reflecting on my incredible experience throughout the summer, I knew that this was an opportunity that I could not say no to.
It was a door that I hoped to stay open, and fortunately, it did.
Since my first day, one of the best parts of working at Little League is how I have never felt like an outsider and how everyone is so willing to help each other grow. Whenever I haven’t been able to figure out how to do something, my questions are always answered and welcomed. Everyone is working together to reach a common goal, and it pushes each of us to be better every day. This is especially evident during two of my favorite events that we host – the Maria Pepe Little League Baseball Legacy Series in June and the Girls with Game experience in October. It is very cool and rewarding to see the months of preparation and hard work come to life to provide fun and exciting opportunities for young girls who are in the same spot I was in all those years ago.
Advice for the Next Generation
Say yes to every opportunity. Plain and simple. The people who work at Little League, and hopefully in other professional settings, want to see you grow, thrive, and become the best version of yourself that you can. Always be open to learning something new and moving to a new place.
Also, try to find a mentor. Being a woman in a male-dominated field can be difficult sometimes. But there are a lot of strong, passionate women who can help guide you to places that you would never expect. Taking risks and trying new things might just open doors for opportunities that can change your life along the way.
This feature is part of a series of Little League International Staff Spotlights, highlighting the career journey of the organization’s employees, which began during Little League’s Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Celebration (LittleLeague.org/GWG50) in 2024.