For the June edition of the Little League® Staff Spotlights, enjoy this first-person letter from Brian McClintock, Senior Communications Executive, as he walks you through his journey:
My Early Childhood
When I reflect on my journey and how I got to where I am today, it is not lost on me that every experience, moment, and memory comes full circle.
Throughout my childhood and beyond, I was no stranger to the Little League® program. If you grow up in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, it quickly becomes part of your identity.
My love for the game stemmed from my family. We grew up at the East Lycoming Little League fields. My mom would be in the concession stand or the in the bleachers, and there wasn’t a team that my dad didn’t coach. You could always find him in the dugout coaching my siblings and me, serving on the league board, or connecting with families in our community. Some may call him “Mr. Hughesville” for his efforts, but his passion is something I have always admired and my parents’ commitment to supporting our community continues to inspire me to give back today.
Every year, when Little League International was looking for kids to participate in Opening Ceremonies, my dad made sure we were first in line to volunteer. I still remember the 50th anniversary of the tournament and being absolutely petrified of being part of the ball toss on the Market Street Bridge, thinking I was going to throw it in the river, but thankfully, I prevailed, with a little help from my brother who was catching the toss.
While it might seem like a small childhood memory, moments like this helped build the foundation of my love for the program. I didn’t know it then, but even after my playing days ended, that love for the organization would quietly follow me throughout my career. And now, I get to help bring those ceremonies and celebrations to life.
Finding my Passion
As I got older and accepted that playing professional sports would not be in my future, I knew I wanted to work in the sports broadcasting industry and one day become the next Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann on SportsCenter.
Once I began to research different universities that could help me pave the way to achieving this dream, I quickly learned that Syracuse University had one of the best communication schools in the country. After applying and being accepted into the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, I knew that the cold city in upstate New York is where I was meant to be.
Of course, life has a funny way of changing your plans.
When I arrived on campus and took my first broadcasting class freshman year, I immediately thought, ‘Wow I don’t want to do this at all,’ and shifted my focus to the magazine industry where I believed larger storytelling opportunities would present themselves.
After graduating from Syracuse, my career path wasn’t exactly a straight line. I started with a six-month full-time internship at Men’s Health magazine. When that concluded, I moved to New York City for an opportunity with Field and Stream before the magazine industry’s major downturn. From there, I packed up once again and relocated to Washington D.C., to work for a nonprofit organization.
A few moves and experiences later, a position opened at Little League, and the rest is history.
Working at Little League
If you told me when I was 25 years old that I would return home to Lycoming County, I would have thought that you were crazy, but life always finds ways to come full circle.
Throughout the interview process, I was fortunate to know Patrick Wilson, the current President and CEO of Little League, who, at the time, worked in Operations, to talk about the opportunity. As we discussed the opportunity, and I met with Liz DiLullo Brown, our current Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Business Relationship Officer, one thing immediately stood out: Little League was completely reimagining what the Communications Department could be and how it would evolve in the future. That vision immediately grabbed my attention, and I knew I wanted to be part of it.
Now, after 13 years with the organization, I can only smile when I think about how far we have come. We have built so many things from the ground up that continue to gain momentum including Girls with Game, our stadium production, the intern curriculum, and the team that we have assembled along the way. We are fortunate to have talented, driven, and creative individuals who truly believe in our mission, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside them every day.
Beyond our day-to-day efforts, what makes Little League special is its global reach and the connections that it creates. Nearly everyone has a Little League story, and throughout partnerships, events, and communities, we get to create new ones every day.
What makes it truly powerful is that the Little League Baseball and Softball World Series isn’t something you can buy your way into. It takes a community to come together, rally around a team, and earn the opportunity. In a youth sports landscape full of tournaments, there is still nothing bigger.
Most importantly, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The memories made here last forever and being responsible to help create them for all of our players, families, and fans, is a unique privilege that we are proud to have. And as cool as those World Series moments are, it’s being able to see my nephews and nieces play or talking with friends from all walks of life and hearing about their Little League experiences that really bring home how impactful this organization is to children, families, and communities.
Advice for the Next Generation
Be someone that you would want to work with, and that somebody else would want to work with.
You are never going to be too good to pick up a cardboard box or a bag of zip ties.
If you want to work in sports and be part of that gritty environment, you need to learn how to thrive in it. You cannot be afraid to get dirty or sweaty. It will make the cooler moments a bit cooler, knowing that you were part of the team that put it together.
Most importantly, embrace opportunities when they come your way. They might not come up with a new job title, a raise, or recognition, but it comes with experience, and you learn from that.
When I think back to being that kid from Hughesville, standing on the Market Street Bridge, hoping that I didn’t throw the ball in the water, I never thought that Little League would play as monumental a role in my life as it does now.
But the beautiful part about life is that it always comes full circle.
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.