Little Leaguers® Make Lifelong Memories at Warren Park All-Girls Fall Baseball League

After two years of hosting an all-girls baseball game at the end of the season, Rachel Gansner, volunteer coach and local league board member, was ready to take it to the next level. Motivated by her own years as a young female athlete on a baseball field, Ms. Gansner worked with the community to develop the Warren Park Youth Baseball Little League all-girls fall baseball league in Chicago, Illinois.  

“As I became more involved with Warren Park, it became evident to me that I needed to help support the girls who I saw leaving the program by helping them break down the barriers they faced,” said Ms. Gansner. “We started with an all-girls game to end the season. That developed into us starting this fall season, which ended up being a success. It was a huge event, not just for the girls but also for the community. The amount of support that we got from the families, some who didn’t even have daughters playing on the teams, was amazing.” 

At the start of the season, 23 female athletes, all between the ages of eight and 10, were split into four teams – the Comets, Peaches, Belles, and Blue Sox – with five to six girls on a team. Each week, two of the teams paired up to play against the two other teams on Sunday night, drawing a crowd of supporters to the field.   

“One of the main goals was for the girls to develop their own community and get to know other girls. They got to know all of the girls in the league really well with this model, but they still had the commitment and connection with their own teams when they competed,” said Ms. Gansner. “We had full crowds every Sunday – people from our league, people who have left the league because their kids have gone on to different levels of play, and community members. My son was there every week announcing the games… it was a great way to spend time at a baseball field.”  

In addition to the games, the girls participated in a series of sessions focused on different skills, including batting, hitting, catching, and pitching. The sessions were led by the volunteer coaches, local female high school baseball players, and even some female players Ms. Gansner played with in her early 20s. At the end of the season, the girls participated in a final series of drills showcasing the skills.  

The 2024 fall ball season ran from early September to late October, a fitting tribute to cap off the end of Little League’s Girls with Game® 50 Celebration, honoring 50 years of female inclusion in the program and inspiring the next generation to keep stepping up to the plate.    

“Being on a beautifully groomed diamond brings tears to my eyes, you know,” said Ms. Gansner. “So, to have a year like this, where it didn’t feel like a fight to get the season approved and started, that just shows you how far we have come in the last 50 years.” 

Ms. Gansner plans to host the all-girls fall season again in future years, continuing to create a space where athletes of all skill levels feel like they can lace up their cleats and step onto the diamond to play the sport they love.  

“I don’t want any girls to feel like they don’t belong on the baseball diamond. I don’t want any women to feel like they don’t belong as a baseball coach. I don’t want the sport to only be available to the girls and women who are willing to fight to break down the barriers,” said Ms. Gansner. “I want every girl to feel like this is their place. That’s why I started this league – to show the girls that they had a community and to give them extra experience to develop as players, and to help them create their own baseball culture.”  

To learn more about the Little League® program, and find a league in your community, visit PlayLittleLeague.org. 

For more information about the Girls with Game 50 Celebration and Little League’s commitment to furthering its female inclusion efforts, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50. The #GWG50 celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year.