A recipient of the Girls with Game 50 (#GWG50) Grant in 2024, South County Little League (Lorton, Virginia) has become a place where young ladies feel empowered, supported, and encouraged. The league doesn’t solely focus on increasing registration; instead, it turns its focus towards growing an inclusive community.
Inspired by the Little League® Girls with Game® Initiative and motivated by the volunteers within its own community, there was a goal within South County Little League to create more recognition for female athletes and inspire new participants to get involved with the softball program. Fueled by that inspiration, the local league leadership decided to go all in.
“We found a need to serve young women and help them feel connected to, and supported by, others so they can grow their leadership skills and focus on fitness and mental health,” said Christina Cashman, South County Little League President. “Sports are able to do that for young people. They’re building core memories and having experiences that are going to help them be leaders in the next phase of their life.”
Thanks to the dedication of the league’s volunteers and families, the league’s leadership was able to turn their vision into real momentum that could be felt across the entire program, not just the softball divisions, creating an inclusive environment while inspiring the next generation of Girls with Game to step up to the plate.
“At every meeting, if we talk about baseball, then we talk about softball, too,” said Cashman. “For example, we were planning our Opening Ceremonies and one of the commitments we made and brought to the ceremony is a change to the ceremonial first pitch. We now have both a baseball and softball catcher and pitcher throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Having the girls feel seen has been a driving piece of growth.”
Since receiving the #GWG50 Grant funding in 2024, South County Little League has been able to grow from just 20 players on two teams in 2018, to 69 players in 2024, 114 players in 2025, and 136 players across 13 teams in 2026. By investing in the softball side of their program, South County Little League is building more than just athletes; they are developing confident leaders, strengthening the community, and creating lifelong memories that will last far beyond the game.
Through the support of this investment into the community, South County Little League was able to provide its female athletes with enhancements such as free pitching clinics, softball pitching lanes, and turf upgrades to batting cages and pitching areas. Together, these efforts have increased participation and created more opportunities for girls to develop skills, build confidence, and compete. Grant funds were also used to purchase redesigned yard signs, school flyers, branded promotional items, and softball-themed merchandise distributed at community events. It also supported Facebook advertising and a free indoor clinic for elementary-aged girls.
With leadership prioritizing the visibility and equity for softball players, South County LL will continue to grow and find ways to celebrate the wins for their female athletes and volunteers. For its commitment to growing the game of softball, inspiring the next generation of Girls with Game, and bringing the mission of the Little League program to life within its own community, South County Little League has been named as the recipient of the 2026 Carl E. Stotz Little League Community of the Year Award.
“There’s a lot of people that have worked really hard over the last nine years, and receiving this award means everything to all of us,” said Jim Hull, South County Little League Softball Commissioner and Coaching Coordinator. “It really is great for this league to be recognized, and this validates the impact that we’re having on the girls in the community, which is what we all want. It has been such an important thing to keep women in sport, and to see our girls and our teams expand and play right alongside baseball has been amazing.”
Named after the founder of the Little League program, the Carl E. Stotz Little League Community of the Year Award is given annually to a league that creates a child-first culture and is aligned with the goals of the Little League International Strategic Plan. As part of this award, Little League International also provided the league with a $5,000 grant as Ashlea Miller, Little League Director of Softball Development, honored the program at the South County LL fields as it hosted the 9- to 11-year-old Little League Softball Tournament in its community starting July 16.
Interested in supporting Little League’s philanthropic and social impact efforts? Learn more about how you can step up to the plate to RALLY for Little League by visiting LittleLeague.org/Rally or by texting RALLY to 345345 (message and data rates may apply).
About the Carl E. Stotz Little League® Community of the Year Award
When Carl E. Stotz organized the first Little League® season in 1938, he leaned on the Williamsport community for support. On June 6, 1939, the first Little League game was played, and the local businesses and residents played a significant role in the success of that first year. Today, Little League is the hallmark of more than 6,500 communities around the world. To recognize the importance of local Little League programs to the fabric of society in their hometowns, Little League established the Carl E. Stotz Little League Community Award.
The Carl E. Stotz Little League Community of the Year Award is focused on honoring a league that creates a player-centric culture and is aligned with the goals of the Little League International Strategic Plan. Eligible leagues will carry some, if not all, of the following traits: inclusive, diverse, softball/female participation, high-quality experience, meets the needs of underserved communities, removes barriers of entry, etc. The recipient league earning this award will also be presented with a $5,000 grant to support their efforts. To learn more about this award, and the rest of the Little League Awards Program, visit LittleLeague.org/Awards.