Thursday, October 1, 2026
Five years ago, girls’ softball had all but disappeared from the Hewlett-Woodmere Little League.
Then, starting in 2021, after more than a decade without a program, league volunteers worked to rebuild it from the ground up, recruiting players, organizing teams and creating opportunities for girls to take the field once again.
This summer, those efforts reached a milestone no one in the league had experienced before.
For the first time in league history, a 10-and-under softball all-star team qualified for the Little League Softball World Series, known as the Williamsport tournament, last month, marking a historic chapter for the league despite an early exit from postseason play.
“It was really a great moment,” league President Mike Savin, who coached the all-star team, said. “I told the girls after we lost that, yes, we were disappointed, but we just went down in history. They’ll forever be known as the first girls’ team from our league to ever compete in this tournament.”
The team lost its first two games of the double-elimination tournament, defeated by Rockville Centre, on June 24 before battling Oceanside to a close loss the following day. Although the season ended there, Savin said that wins and losses were secondary to what the girls accomplished.
“Five years ago, we had just started the girls’ softball program,” Savin said. “There hadn’t been girls’ softball in Hewlett for probably more than 10 years. We got a bunch of girls to register, got the league going again, and this year, with the growth of the league, we were finally able to have a Williamsport team. It’s actually the first Williamsport team in the history of our league.”
The league assembled its top players to compete against neighboring communities for a chance to advance through the tournament. For many of the players, simply putting on an all-star uniform was a memorable experience.
“The girls really enjoyed it,” Savin said. “They all get special uniforms, and it really makes them feel special to be an all-star. They get a lot of attention, and it was just a really great experience all around.”
Just as meaningful for Savin was working with a team that reflects the unique makeup of the Hewlett-Woodmere community.
“Our leagues are really special,” he said. “We have almost a 50-50 divide of kids who go to public school and kids who go to private school. It’s so nice to see Orthodox Jewish girls playing with public-school girls. My daughter has friends from all different cultures and backgrounds. It’s just such a nice community.”
Savin has coached Little League for eight years, beginning with his son before coaching all three of his daughters as well. At one point, he was coaching three teams simultaneously. Now his focus is on his youngest daughter, Isabella, who pitched for the 10U all-star team.
Coaching, he said, has allowed him to share an experience with his children that he wishes he had when he was growing up. “My father was a single parent,” he said. “He worked so hard that he didn’t have time to coach us or be as involved in our sports. Thankfully I’m able to do that for my kids.”
Watching children develop both as athletes and people, Savin said, has become the most rewarding part of volunteering. “I’ve gotten so much positive feedback from parents and kids over the years,” he said. “I’ve had kids begging me to pick them for my team the next year. It’s just good vibes.”
For Isabella Savin, 9, softball has become much more than learning how to pitch. “I really like softball because it teaches me that teamwork can really make the best out of everything,” she said. And, she added, “I like pitching because you’re kind of in control of the game.”
One of Isabella’s favorite things about competing in the World Series, she said, was playing alongside many of the league’s best players after other seasons of competing against them.
In contrast, this was 10-year-old catcher Elizabeth Plunkett’s first season of softball. After deciding to join because her friends played, she quickly discovered she enjoyed both the sport and the friendships she made. “I get to meet new people and experience new things,” Elizabeth said.
Chana Rosenberg, also 10, has been playing since first grade and is both a pitcher and a first baseman, though pitching remains her favorite. “It’s fun to strike people out,” she said with a smile.
Chana described the tournament atmosphere as “very intense,” because every team was talented, but said the best part was taking the field with teammates she has played alongside for years.
“We make really good plays together because we all know each other,” she said. “It’s really fun.”
While the all-star season has concluded, the league is already preparing for next spring, planning summer and winter clinics intended to help girls’ softball continue to grow. “We’re looking to continue the success we’ve been having,” Savin said.
