NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Nolensville Little League team will take the field Friday to open this year’s Little League World Series.
The Tennessee champs are playing in the global event for the third straight year and Randy Huth has coached all three teams. But the enormity of the series is not lost on Huth or his players.
“There’s gonna be a ton of pressure in any of these games that we play in the World Series, just because there’s so many eyeballs. But I think once the kids get on the field that that goes away, they’re gonna they’re gonna be nervous. And they should be, you know, because it’s, it is a massive event,” explained Huth.
The team has made headlines and drawn followers from around the country for many reasons. One of which is 12-year-old pitcher and outfielder Stella Weaver, the first girl to compete for Nolensville and the 22nd girl in history to play in the Little League World Series.
“I started playing baseball when I was like seven or eight,” said Stella. “I use to play softball when I was really young and my brother would have baseball games and I would always go after them and pitch on the mound with my dad, and it was so much more fun than softball. They treat me as one of them. It’s no different at all.”
Coach Huth explained they are calling this year’s edition “Stella and the fellas” and Stella is about to become a household name.
“I always thought that was super cool how many supporters there are of us. But it’s also like, Coach Randy always says is that once you meet them and make them smile, they’re part of our team. Like they’re part of our family and team. So it’s really cool. How we make them feel being a part of this team,” explained Stella
Now the team has a few good luck charms and superstitions, three in fact. There’s a hat filled with pins that everyone touches before the game in addition to a Sock monkey made for the team by a woman in Georgia last year, and Mike and Ike candies, which the team eats before games.
Nolensville takes on Smithfield, Rhode Island to begin the double elimination tournament. The game begins at 2 p.m. on ESPN.
