As part of the 2026 Little League® Girls with Game® Experience that brought NCAA Division I Softball to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Little League sat down with Bucknell University head softball coach and Little League parent, Angie Stackhouse, for a #LLProudParent Series interview, spotlighting her first-person reflections on her experience with the Little League program and what it means to grow the game for the next generation.
Finding My Passion
Growing up in Lycoming County, Little League has always been part of my identity. My love for the game began in first grade when I stepped onto the East Lycoming (Pa.) Little League Tee Ball field for the first time. From that moment on, softball became my passion, my outlet, and ultimately, my life’s work.
Years later, my journey from player to coach took an unexpected turn. After graduating from Bucknell University, I was playing professionally in Sweden’s National League. As the season came to an end, I realized I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the game. I began searching for coaching opportunities, looking for any way to stay connected to the sport that had given me so much.
That search brought me back to Bucknell, where I began my coaching career as a graduate assistant. Returning to my collegiate alma mater, closer to home and the community that helped shape me, felt like a match made in heaven. At the time, I had no idea just how much that opportunity would shape my future.
Twenty years later, I returned to Bucknell once again, this time as the head coach of the program where my coaching journey began. There is something incredibly special about coming full circle and having the opportunity to lead a program that played such an important role in my own development.
Today, I still get to do what I love every day, both at the collegiate and youth levels. As a coach and a parent of three, I have the privilege of passing along the lessons I learned on the Little League diamond to my Bucknell athletes and my own children. The game has given me so much, and I believe one of my greatest responsibilities is to help ensure it continues to give those same opportunities to the next generation.
The Spirit of Little League
Watching my children experience Little League for themselves has been incredibly rewarding. I see them learning many of the same values that helped shape who I am today: teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, and, perhaps most importantly, resilience.
Sports have a way of teaching lessons that extend far beyond the field. My children are learning that things don’t always go as planned, that adversity is part of the journey, and that success often depends on how you respond when things get difficult. They are learning to work through challenges with their teammates, take responsibility for their roles, and stay committed to a common goal, even when the path forward isn’t easy.
Those lessons are at the heart of what I believe sports should teach. Grit and ownership are two values that guide me as a coach and as a parent. Grit is about showing up, competing through adversity, and finding a way forward when things get hard. Ownership is about taking responsibility for your actions, your effort, your attitude, and your role within a team. You may not always control the outcome, but you can always take ownership of how you prepare, respond, and contribute.
At its core, Little League should be about helping children become better teammates and better people, both on and off the field. As parents, we have to remember that the experience belongs to our children. We need to give them the freedom to learn, make mistakes, overcome challenges, and discover what they love about the game without placing unnecessary pressure on them.
As the children of a coach who works in the game full-time, my kids sometimes bring a different perspective to the field. That’s one reason I believe it’s valuable for them to experience different coaches, learn new approaches, and develop relationships outside of my influence. As their parent, I have to recognize when to step back and allow them the space to grow on their own.
At the end of the day, what matters most is that children learn the fundamentals, build a strong foundation, develop meaningful relationships, and find their own love for the game. We want them to enjoy the experience, embrace the challenges, and understand that their value is never defined by a single performance or outcome.
For me, coaching has always been about much more than what happens between the lines. I believe in being demanding but understanding, setting high expectations while recognizing that every athlete is a person first. Our staff works hard to create a family atmosphere where athletes feel supported, challenged, and valued.
Of course, teaching skills, developing players, and growing the game are important. But the impact of a coach goes far beyond the technical and tactical side of the sport. Athletes may not remember every drill, every practice, or every win and loss, but they will remember how they felt as part of a team. They will remember whether their coaches believed in them, challenged them to be better, and helped them navigate the difficult moments.
My goal is to help athletes understand that being part of a team means showing up for one another, taking ownership of their actions, and continuing to compete when things don’t go their way. Those are lessons that will serve them long after their playing days are over.
Connecting with the Next Generation
For the young athletes who participated in the Little League Girls with Game Experience, I hope they walked away having connected with at least one college or professional athlete they could look up to and relate to.
Throughout the experience, I encouraged our athletes to talk with the girls about more than softball. I wanted them to learn about the girls’ lives, interests, personalities, and passions. Those face-to-face conversations are what make opportunities like this so special. It’s not just about showing young athletes what is possible on the field; it’s about helping them see the person behind the uniform and understand that there are many different paths to success.
One of my favorite questions to answer from Little Leaguers® and young softball players aspiring to play at the next level is, “What’s a day in the life like?”
I’m always honest with them. Playing NCAA Division I softball is demanding. It requires commitment, discipline, time management, and a willingness to work through adversity. It isn’t easy, but it is absolutely attainable for athletes who are willing to put in the work and embrace the process.
I want young athletes to understand that talent matters, but so do the things they can control every day: their effort, their attitude, their preparation, and their willingness to learn. There are no shortcuts to becoming the best version of yourself. You have to believe in what you’re working toward, take ownership of your development, and have the grit to keep going when the journey gets difficult.
Just as importantly, I want them to enjoy the journey. Play multiple sports. Spend time with family. Build friendships. Learn from different coaches. Give yourself the opportunity to grow as a person, not just as an athlete. There is so much more to youth sports than preparing for the next level, and we have a responsibility to protect the joy that makes kids fall in love with the game in the first place.
Growing up in Lycoming County, Little League helped shape my love for softball and set me on a path I could never have imagined. Now, as a coach, a parent, and someone fortunate enough to have built a career around this game, I understand how important it is to give back to the community and help create those same opportunities for others.
I hope the Girls with Game Experience inspired young athletes to dream big, believe in themselves, and recognize that their future is full of possibilities. More than anything, I hope they left knowing they belong in this game.
Growing the game isn’t just about developing the next great player. It’s about building confidence, teaching resilience, creating connections, and helping young people discover what they’re capable of achieving. If we can do that for the next generation, then we’re doing something that matters far beyond the field. I am grateful to Little League for creating opportunities like this, and I hope Bucknell Softball can continue to be part of the experience for years to come.
The story above is shared as part of Little League’s #LLProudParent content series, sharing first-person reflections on their experiences with their child in the Little League program. Have a story you’d like to share? Feel free to share it, along with any photos that help tell the story, to [email protected].