Before the first pitch and long after the last out, a different kind of team sets the stage at Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park (Greenville, N.C.): an all-female grounds crew that has become a signature of the Little League Softball World Series (LLSWS).
What began as a history-making experiment in 2022 is now an annual tradition that is elevating the craft of sports field management — and inspiring the next generation of girls to see the game, and the industry, in a new light.
In 2022, the LLSWS welcomed its first all-female grounds crew, 16 women from throughout the country who volunteered to prepare and maintain the championship stage. The effort was organized with the Sports Field Management Association (SFMA) and spearheaded by then–SFMA leader Sun Roesslein, CSFM, who approached tournament grounds lead Chris Ball to make the concept a reality.
“This is one of the first times anything like this has ever happened in the sports world,” Roesslein said at the time, reflecting on the moment’s significance.
The following year, the crew expanded and formalized planning, with Roesslein serving on a committee alongside Nina Oldenkamp, Amy Fouty, CSFM, and Chris Ball, CSFM. By 2023 the women’s crew covered all eight days of the tournament — and supported Athletes Unlimited pro games hosted in Greenville the same week — underscoring both the depth of talent and the trust placed in the team.
In 2024, the “Women in Turf Team” returned for a third consecutive year, again under Roesslein and Oldenkamp’s leadership, earning headlines for their precision and poise while managing through tropical weather to keep the event on time.
Roesslein also credits the crew, under the guidance Ball, that volunteers each year to convert the field from a grass infield baseball field to the softball field for the week. They take over the field a couple weeks ahead of the tournament and begin the transformation.
The 2025 LLSWS ran August 3–10, continuing the tradition in Greenville, and drawing national attention across ESPN platforms. Coverage highlighted how women are leading in broadcast production and on the field crews — another signal that representation is growing across the event.
Among this year’s volunteers was SFMA Education Manager Jennifer McLendon, who joined the on-field crew.
“Stepping onto the dirt at the LLSWS was absolute joy. Experiencing it up close gave me an even greater appreciation for the craftsmanship behind safe, beautiful playing surfaces — and made me prouder than ever to be part of the sports field management profession.”
For young athletes, seeing women command the craft that makes championship softball possible is powerful. It shows softball does not end when playing days do—there is a vibrant, technical, and creative profession behind every safe hop and true bounce. For the industry, the LLSWS has become a high-visibility proving ground for best practices: managing moisture and clay profiles during tight TV windows, rapid turnaround between games, and communicating across operations teams with precision.
And for SFMA, the all-female crew is part of a broader commitment to mentorship, workforce development, and inclusion—opening doors and building confidence for students, career changers, and seasoned pros alike.
“Being part of something that exposes younger female athletes to an all-women’s grounds crew is critical to the future of this industry,” said first-time LLSWS volunteer Tessa Hospod, graduate research assistant, University of Connecticut. “I want to support the next generation of young individuals that are discovering their interests for the first time.”
According to Hospod, the best part of the experience was the strong sense of mentorship that the more experienced women in turf provided to the younger members of the team.
“I learned so much from the other women about not only field management, but other career and life advice and got to know them on a personal level,” said Hospod.
Sarah Martin, CSFM, park supervisor, City of Phoenix, has volunteered to be part of the LLSWS grounds crew for all four years that it has been available to the Women In Turf Team.
“I absolutely love this event, giving back and showing kids that this is a profession and a way to stay in the sport,” said Martin. “Working with like-minded women is amazing, and we have a blast. We have folks on the crew that have years upon years of experience, and we have those that have none. We take the time to teach and show how to do the work.”
Hospod’s advice to other women in turf is to challenge yourself with these types of opportunities, as they will only make you better at your job in the long term.
“Learning from these experiences, you can bring them back to your facility and maybe even incorporate what you learned into your program and share what you learned with your team,” said Hospod. “Opportunities like this only make the turfgrass industry stronger, connecting us together to foster a stronger message.”
Added Martin, “This is a fantastic event, held at an amazing location in Greenville. Little League and the community are fantastic to work with.”
What started with a phone call and a bold idea has become a cornerstone of the LLSWS. Thanks to Sun Roesslein’s early push and the continued collaboration with Little League and a growing network of volunteers, girls in the stands — and on the field — now see women setting the standard for excellence on the world’s most-watched youth softball stage. That is progress you can measure in perfectly set bases, crisp chalk lines, and faces lit with possibility.