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And now there are four.
The Division 1 women's softball teams of the U.S. Army and Bucknell University will join Maryland and Penn State at Howard J. Lamade Stadium next weekend for the second annual "Girls with Game Experience."
"Last year's first-ever Girls with Game Experience was such a remarkable event for not only the Little Leaguers who came to participate, but for the coaches and players from Penn State and Maryland who served as role models for these young girls," said Ashlea Miller, Little League director of Softball Development.
"We could not be more excited to bring back the Little League Girls with Game Experience to Howard J. Lamade Stadium and the entire Williamsport community on October 21," said Ashlea Miller, Little League Director of Softball Development. "This year's event is gearing up to be bigger than ever as we welcome the talented collegiate softball players and staff from Army West Point, Bucknell, Maryland, and Penn State to showcase their skills at the home of the Little League Baseball World Series as we continue to spotlight the importance of softball at every level of the game. With no cost to park or attend the games throughout the afternoon, we hope everyone has a chance to come out and enjoy the fun of this year's Girls with Game Experience."
The brainchild of Williamsport native Keith Calta, who played football for Maryland and whose daughter, Sarah, played softball at her dad's alma mater, the event brings coaches, players and young girls together to learn about and promote the game of softball.
"The idea is to have the college girls come in, give encouragement and be visible so these young kids can see them and look up to them," Calta said. "So me of the kids that will come to the camp may have never seen a college player that close and in-person before so that visibility is huge."
The story behind how this now annual and growing event came about has a lot to do with Calta's volunteering at Little League as a kid and his friendship with Little League President and CEO Steve Keener.
The two are like-minded when it comes to promoting youth sports, something ingrained in both of them as kids and through their mentors. And of course, there are many others who make it happen, including the team coaches, their staff, the universities and various Little League executives.
Launched in coordination with Penn State, Maryland, Bucknell, and Army, as well as MBI Camps, the 2023 Girls with Game Experience next Saturday, Oct. 21, will feature a three-hour instructional clinic for females ages 9-14, led by representatives from each of the four Division I universities starting at 9 a.m.
After the clinic, all registrants will have the opportunity to watch their instructors take the field in a pair of back-to-back exhibition games starting at 2 p.m. on Lamade Stadium, the home of the championship every August. Penn State vs. Army kick-off the double-header.
All military veterans and active-duty personnel will be recognized during the Penn State-Army game and are invited to attend.
Following the games, participants of the clinics will have the opportunity to interact and sign autographs with the Division I college athletes.
More information about the event and how to register for the instruction can be found on-line at www.LittleLeague.org/GWGExperience.
In addition to the all-day event on Saturday, Little League Softball coaches will have the exclusive opportunity to participate in a coaches' clinic on Friday, Oct. 20, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The clinic will be hosted by college coaches from MBI Camps and will feature skills and techniques for Little League Softball coaches of every level.
The exhibition games on Oct. 21 are open to the public and have no cost of admission to attend.
Seating within the stadium, outside of those seats reserved for clinic registrants behind home plate, will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and no ticket is required.
Fans looking to attend the game are asked to enter the Little League International Complex via the entrance at East Mountain Avenue and will be directed to park in the parking lot in the outfield of Volunteer Stadium, along Borderline Road.
"The unique, all-day event is named in celebration of the Little League Girls with Game initiative, which was launched in 2019 to honor all the girls and women who have made the Little League program what it is today and those who inspire the future generation of female participants at every level," Miller said.
In 2024, Little League will also be celebrating 50 years of female inclusion and the 50th Anniversary of the Little League Softball World Series with its Girls with Game 50 Campaign.