A key part of being a Little League® coach is knowing how to not only develop the children in their community as a baseball or softball player, but how to also teach the life lessons they will carry off the field, especially as you make it to the biggest stage in the game.
For LeDarrius Madison, who served as the Southwest Region Manager for Sterlington (La.) Little League at the 2024 Little League Softball® World Series (LLSWS), Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, it was about understanding that the impact and experience of the event on his two daughters and the rest of the team would go far beyond the final score of each game.
“Everybody wants to win, but we, as coaches, have to remember that this is a sport of trial and error. They’re going to struggle, but at the end of the day, we need to remind them to just do their best and most importantly, have fun doing what they’re doing,” said LeDarrius. “We may not always get the win; we may not always get the strikeout; we may not always get the home run; but knowing that you put your best foot forward is the biggest thing to take away from the game.”
Sterlington LL fought their way to the Championship Game of the 2024 LLSWS, where they eventually fell, 1-0, to North Carolina, and were able to plate across 27 runs and countless highlight-worthy plays throughout the course of the tournament. But, for LeDarrius, the lifelong memories that he would be taking home came from the experiences he shared with his daughters rather than the numbers on the scoreboard.
“The experience was great, especially for the girls. They got to meet kids from different countries, with different personalities and languages,” said LeDarrius. “To be on that platform, playing on a Division I college field for that last game, they were treated like college athletes. To be able to share that with my daughters was a dream come true. Not many people get to do that.”
Ava and Kaitlyn Madison, who have been playing softball since they were four years old, left the tournament with an appreciation for each other and an understanding of the world around them.
“The Little League Softball World Series was fun because I got to play with my sister, and most people don’t get to play with their sister. One of them is usually younger or older than the other one,” said Ave. “It was just a really fun experience.”
“It brought lots of different experiences because you got to meet new people with different cultures, and it was exciting to be able to have it shown on ESPN,” added Kaitlyn.
Not only was the 2024 LLSWS a special event in and of itself, but it also marked the celebration of the tournament’s 50th anniversary and 50 years of female involvement in the Little League program, a spotlight that LeDarrius quickly recognized as softball continues to increase in popularity.
“I think the rising spotlight on the sport is good, especially for women and for girls. Softball, compared to baseball, is not as big, but now we see that it’s growing,” said LeDarrius. “The spotlight on it and the World Series just shows how good these women and girls are, and it’s great, making it bigger than what people think it is. Now the whole world gets to see that, and for them to experience that at a young age makes them want to do it at the next level.”
Back home at Sterlington LL’s fields, LeDarrius is ready for another season of coaching his team of young female athletes, not only the skills they need to be successful on the field, but the lessons they need to be good people, too. For anyone who is thinking of putting on a coach’s cap and coaching a softball team or an all-female baseball team, LeDarrius has this piece of advice.
“What I’ve learned these couple of years that I’ve been doing it is to not be scared of making mistakes. Sometimes you’ve got to take chances. Just be willing and be ready for what comes afterward,” said LeDarrius. “You’re not going to be able to make everybody happy. There will be a parent or a fan who doesn’t agree with a call you made. Just make the best call for that individual or your team, because they are the ones at the end of the day who need to have the best experience.”
Interested in making a difference in your own community? Learn more about how easy it is to sign up to be a Little League volunteer and the impact it makes by visiting LittleLeague.org/Volunteer.