PHOTO PROVIDED North Ashville Little League poses for a photo.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT (July 24, 2025) – On September 26, 2024, the people of North Asheville (N.C.) had to put the community’s integrity to the test, facing unimaginable hardship in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which devastated homes, schools, and the beloved North Asheville Little League fields.

“I ran into a friend who lost two businesses in the flood, and I asked him what I could do to help,” said Lindsey Hensley, North Asheville (N.C.) Little League Board Member. “He said, ‘All I need for you to do is to make sure we have a Little League season next year.'”

Families around the community struggled, first and foremost, ensuring that the children of their community were safe, not knowing where to turn or what to do to get back on their feet. Once the children and families were accounted for, it was time to step up to the plate and figure out what was next.

As often seen in the face of devastation and disaster, the town pivoted to a place where families could feel a sense of unity and love – Weaver Field, the primary home of the North Asheville Little League team. Volunteers, coaches, and families throughout the league rallied together and worked tirelessly to restore the field to bring hope back to their town through their Little League community.

“There were trees down, no electricity, faucets didn’t work, and one of the scariest things is that you pick up your phone and that doesn’t work,” said Nate Weyant, North Ashville LL’s Vice President. “Once we got back to check on our fields, it quickly turned into finding people with shovels and dirt who were willing to come together to at least get one field open.”

Throughout this process, North Asheville LL embodied Little League’s five core values – community, teamwork, integrity, inclusion, and fun – providing not just a return to normalcy, but a renewed sense of pride and togetherness across Asheville. What began as initial thoughts that the league may lose their 2025 Little League season due to the devastation were quickly replaced with inspiration by the league’s incredible volunteers and parents focused on one thing – giving the children of Asheville a place to play in the spring.

The league’s return to the diamond on opening day in 2025 was a celebration of resilience for all divisions of play and a testament to the importance of Little League’s five core values to support the overall mission of the organization at the grassroots level. For their efforts, Little League has named North Asheville LL as the recipient of the 2025 Carl E. Stotz Little League Community of the Year.

“The Little League program means so much more than just the game of baseball and softball. It is a program rooted in communities, families, and a place of comfort for all, especially during the unfortunate wake of devastation,” said Pat Wilson, Little League President and CEO. “Following the tragedy caused by Hurricane Helene, the North Ashville Little League program faced this devastation head-on. Their dedication to our program’s values and their commitment to providing a Little League experience no matter what it takes serves as an inspiration to our volunteers around the world. On behalf of all of us at Little League, we are honored to present this league with the 2025 Carl E. Stotz Community of the Year Award.

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 player-centric 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 and honored the program at the North Asheville LL fields in June.