After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Little League Senior Softball World Series returns to Sussex County for the 17th year – this time with two Delaware teams competing.
Camden-Wyoming Little League is sending a team to the World Series for the first time this week.
The Lower Sussex team in Frankford always plays as the host team, but this is the first time Camden-Wyoming is there. And Camden-Wyoming league president Joe Carpenter says some of the girls almost didn’t return this year.
“It’s been a struggle getting all the girls to come back to our league, because once they get into high school they kind of tend to fade away from little league," Carpenter said. "But we were able to convince these girls to come back and give it one more shot at a state title. And they agreed to come back this year and play together.”
The league’s Vice President Hannah Kennard says most of the girls on the team have played together for several years, which she believes led to their regional title.
“We were behind, we were number four seed for regionals going into our bracket play and the girls ended up pulling it together and pulling out the wins for all of their games," Kennard said. "It was enjoyable to sit back and watch them do that and I'd say that’s probably the best thing about these girls. They build each other up and they are determined to get that win.”
Kennard’s daughter Alyssa is also on the team, and Kennard says Little League games are more about the experience than the competition.
“I always thought of Little League as a fun little thing you can do, but as I’ve grown it’s become more," Alyssa said. "I go to Little League just to get away from the stress of travel ball and school ball. And you can just go there and you can play and you can laugh while you’re in the batter's box, you can laugh while you’re pitching and you get to play your friends.”
Carpenter adds Little League is less competitive than school and travel ball, and the players, like Alyssa, say that sometimes they have more fun at Little League.
The World Series tournament opens with Camden-Wyoming facing Lower Sussex Monday at 6 p.m. at the Lower Sussex Little League Complex, 34476 Pyle Center Road in Roxana.