Negros Occidental Little League, the Asia-Pacific Region Champion from Bacolod City, has been named the 2022 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award Recipient after displaying sportsmanship both on and off the field throughout its time in Greenville, North Carolina.
“On behalf of all of us at the Little League Softball World Series, we are honored to present the 2022 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award to Negros Occidental Little League,” said Ashlea Nash, Little League Director of Softball Development, in a press release.
“Since the moment they arrived, the players of Negros Occidental Little League have shown the excitement and sportsmanship that makes the Little League World Series experience so meaningful and have proven what it means to be Girls with Game,” Nash said.
Presented for the first time during the 2021 Little League Softball® World Series, the Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award recognizes a team that shows what it means to be “Girls with Game” both on and off the field, the press release said.
The Little League® Girls with Game Initiative, originally launched in 2019, is dedicated to honoring all the girls and women who have made the Little League program what it is today and those who inspire the future generation of female participants at every level.
Members of the Little League International Staff, LLSWS Tournament Committee, participating managers, volunteers, and media were given the chance to vote on which team they believed should be recognized for this award.
In addition, through its partnership with Athletes Unlimited, Little League International was able to have Athletes Unlimited Softball players contribute to the voting to ultimately determine this year’s recipient.
Prior to the start of the 2022 Little League Softball World Series, all 12 participating teams gathered together for the first ever Girls with Game Celebration to officially kick off this year’s event with a night of fun and excitement.
The Negrense young softbelles enter the semifinals in the North Carolina Little League World Series, Anthony Carlo Agustin, Provincial Sports Office and delegation head, said.
The Philippines-Asia Pacific girls from Negros Occidental clipped the New England girls in a 1-0 victory, he said.
The win puts the Philippine team in the semifinals and hoping to go for gold, he added.
The Negrense girls are the most loved among the teams for their friendly character and attitude in the games despite being the smallest among all , he added.
Inspired by the support of Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, the girls are just eager to make another win, Agustin said.*