Regional Champs


For Regionals and beyond, Little League required the girls to to stay in pods, separate from their families as part of COVID precautions.  I ended up being designated as the Team Player Advocate (aka Team mom) who traveled with the girls.  When the Little League first sent us information about staying in pods without their parents, it was very concerning to me that 13 girls would be traveling with 3 male coaches.  I'm sure there were many other families with the same thoughts.  

When we returned from the state tournament, practices resumed the next day and the girls met every day until they left for Indiana.  That week was such a blur because there was so little time between the state tournament and leaving for Regionals.  We did fundraising to support the team and had a pool party, and gave out bags of donations from several local businesses for the girls to have while away (mostly food).

So, all families drove their girls up to Whitestown, Indiana and dropped off the girls at a hotel for the duration of the tournament.  We started the evening by going to the stadium for COVID testing, team pictures, and dinner.  Right off the bat the food was questionable, and we ended up ordering out a lot while we were at Regionals.  


First Regional photo shoot at the Stadium

Our DBLL All Star Team



Dinner after the pictures
Chicken nuggets and MacnCheese.  You would think this was ok, but it was not great.

Getting some food


We rode a school bus wherever we went

Door Decor

Each room had decorations for their door and we took these with to North Carolina.  They had to change their numbers, though, (and team color) when we went to LLWS.


Nova, Ava, and Gracie


Team meeting outside

Playing telephone in the parking lot

At one point in our regional experience, the coaches had a hitting practice in the field behind our hotel.  Prior to hitting, I looked out my hotel window and saw individual girls all around the hotel outside.  Nick instructed them to take some alone time.  I think he put them in "timeout."  The Regional trip was very challenging and my patience was tried at least one of the nights.  The girls were with each other for a really long time.

Another bus ride to the stadium

Our first game was against Michigan.  We won, but it definitely was not our best effort.  I think the girls were very aware that there were a lot of people watching them and that they were on ESPN.

Pregame warm-up???

Team meeting

I didn't get a lot of pictures during the games.  They were all on ESPN, so I didn't think it was all that important to get pictures, and we were not allowed to record anything.  I was also doing the Gamechanger for people who didn't have access to ESPN, so that took a lot of my attention.

My girl.

Pre-game coaches meeting

Our line up of girls

Ready to go.

Watching themselves play for the first time.  Pretty entertaining.

They used Gracie's room for the most part to re-watch the games while we were in Indiana.  Once we made it to North Carolina, the girls tended to watch it on their phones more often.

Another team activity... this time playing whiffle ball in the parking lot.

After our win against Michigan, we had the day off on Monday.  We had practice at a local high school softball field in the afternoon and then took the girls shopping at a mall nearby.  Since we already had our 2nd COVID test that morning we met up with the parents later for dinner and it was so fun!

Waiting to go shopping
The girls were each given $100 to spend.  Gracie bought Lululemon shorts that I never would have bought myself. because they're so expensive.

As you can see, most of the girls ended up indulging.

Hibachi Grill!!!

Such a fun night.


I think that is lemonade.
The adults definitely had a different squirt bottle filled with something other than lemonade.

Kaitlin's face just cracks me up.

Another fire!

Cha Cha Slide before the game.
aka forced fun

After Ava hit Gracie and herself in.

Congratulating Ava on her great hit

National Anthem before every game

A triple from Gracie, I think. Or maybe she just made it to third. I can't remember.

Gracie hitting


After winning

This pic was after we beat Zionsville the first time 2-1 and we knew that we were going to the LLWS.
It was very surreal for me and I couldn't believe these girls were going to be the first team ever from Missouri to go to the softball LLWS.  Proud is an understatement.

Our DBLL Team. Central Region Champs after beating Zionsville the second time.

Our Southern Boone Girls representing.

Hanging out with Jenny Dalton Hill
She is a former softball player and ESPN commentator who covered our games.

The girls went 4-0 in Regional play and 6 of our girls hitting over .500 going into the world series.

The only thing missing from this experience was Owen. :(

NEXT UP:
Greenville, NC
Softball Little League World Series

 

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