ROXANA — The international eyes of the Little League world will soon settle on Roxana for another Senior Softball World Series.
Ten teams – six from the United States and four from other corners of the globe – will battle it out for championship honors at the Lower Sussex Little League complex.
The seven-day extravaganza runs July 29 through Aug. 4. It is designed to showcase athletic talent, sportsmanship, camaraderie and community unity.
“One of the things we have always prided ourselves in, our slogan basically is, ‘If we can’t provide an experience that the girls will never forget, we don’t need to be doing it,” says Martin Donovan, director of the Senior Softball World Series since it began in 2004.
This will be the 19th Senior Softball Series for girls ages 13-15 held in Roxana. Tournaments were not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the global pandemic.
This whole deal came about by chance.
“It’s very simple — luck and timing,” said Mr. Donovan.
Through his connections and contacts while serving on Little League’s International Advisory Board when he was a district administrator, Mr. Donovan floated the possibility of Lower Sussex as a potential World Series host to Little League officials.
“I said, ‘I think you’re going to find it’s one of the nicest in the East,” said Mr. Donovan. “Lunchtime, I walked by, and said, ‘Oh by the way, we want a World Series,’ knowing that they didn’t like moving them, so chances were probably slim to none.”
Little League officials checked out the multi-field Lower Sussex complex.
Several weeks later Mr. Donovan got a phone call, ‘Would you be interested in hosting a Senior Softball World Series?’”
At that time the Senior Softball tournament had been held in Kentucky, which was giving it up.
“We were up against Connecticut and Syracuse. I really thought Syracuse would get it,” said Mr. Donovan. “About two weeks later they called me back and said, ‘We’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is you’ve got the World Series. The bad news is … you’ve got the World Series!’”
“We’ve been doing it ever since,” Mr. Donovan said. “We learned a lot that first year. We made mistakes but we did pretty good considering it was our first one.”
Success and longevity are attributed to volunteers and financial support.
“I’ve had five or six people doing it from day one,” Mr. Donovan said. “My committee probably totals 50 that work all year long.”
Roxana Volunteer Fire Company has been on standby and coordinating ambulance service. Beebe Healthcare has provided sports trainers. Sussex County paramedics have been there since day one.
This year, Mountaire Farms is providing a refrigerated trailer for food and ice storage.
“It’s a community event, actually,” said Mr. Donovan.
Putting on a World Series tournament is not inexpensive.
Little League International picks up the motel tab and transportation, air or bus fare for teams coming to the World Series from their regions.
“When the teams win the regional, they pay to get them here,” said Mr. Donovan, noting Little League provides $25,000 to every World Series to get it started.
No longer will school buses pick up teams arriving at the upstate airport. “Little League wants the ‘Wow’ factor to be in play,” said Mr. Donovan. “So, when the girls step off the airplane they will walk to a charter bus.”
This year’s budget has addressed funding for new padding, ice at the motels, meal catering, beverage products, port-a-potties, tents and trailers plus other necessities.
One of the four air-conditioned trailers is designated for the players.
“One of the things the girls had requested was there was no place to change,” Mr. Donovan said. “It dawned on me, ‘Why can’t we rent a trailer strictly for players to change and cool off?’”
New this year, courtesy of a quarter auction fundraiser, are four air-conditioning coolers, which can cool off two people at a time. “We’re putting them in the dugout. Hopefully, it will help,” Mr. Donovan said.
On the local front, this event has been supported throughout by the Freeman Foundation and grant money, including annual contributions from Sussex County Council.
“We have been very fortunate that the Freeman Foundation has been with us the entire time,” said Mr. Donovan. “The county has been a partner for the whole time. The state is hit and miss. When (Jack) Markell was governor, I guess that was when the state budget was tough, we stopped getting state funds. But we just started getting it back. But overall, it is sponsorships.”
The flags that fly above the outfield fence were made possible by the late Josh Freeman, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in December of 2006.
“Josh Freeman came on board the very first year. He liked it. The flag poles around the outfield fence were Josh’s idea,” said Mr. Donovan.
The players pay for nothing, except for what they want to spend on their own. “We do pay for a one-day trip to the beach,” Mr. Donovan said.
Each player gets to keep her uniform, an Easton bat, Adidas cleats, and World Series sweatshirts and souvenirs.
“They walk out of here with probably $800 to $900 worth of stuff,” said Mr. Donovan, noting one player last year was heard to say, “Man, this is like Christmas in July.”
Some tournament volunteers and officials undergo background checks.
“Anybody who has any contact with the girls to any great extent, like staying at the motel or anything of that nature, has to have a background check done. And we all have to take Abuse Awareness Training,” Mr. Donovan said.
As of July 18, three international teams had qualified — Europe Africa (Netherlands), Latin America (Puerto Rico) and Asia Pacific (Philippines).
Yet to be decided are the qualifiers from the Canada Region, and six U.S. regions — East, Southeast, Central, Southwest, West and Delaware District 3.
This year’s Latin America and Asia Pacific regional winners competed in last year’s World Series in Roxana. The Central Region won the 2023 event.
Opening ceremonies Monday, July 29 start at 4:30 p.m. The first games follow at 6 p.m. Twenty-seven games will determine this year’s champion.
The title game is set for Sunday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.
All games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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