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WEBSTER — During the summer of 2023, Sue Sears, who is the president of the Leicester girls' softball league, was preparing for the season. There was just one problem: There were no teams, which meant there wasn't a season to prepare for.
That's when she and Jessica Park was approached by Jodie Pajak with an offer to start American Legion softball.
"We have daughters who play softball," Sears said. "We know the softball world, and we started getting all the teams together and her and I are both on the committee now and this is how far we’ve got."
American Legion softball started with two teams in 2024 and expanded to four teams in 2025. The league expaneded again in 2026, adding four more teams to make an eight-team league. Cherry Valley Post 443, coached by Parker, Franklin Post 75, Charlton Post 391, Webster-Dudley Post 184, Northborough Post 234, Vernon Hill Post 435, Framingham Post 117 and Sturbridge Post 109 all competed this summer.
The season runs through the end of the month, with Webster-Dudley (3-0), Sturbridge (2-0) and Vernon Hill on the top of the heap.
"It's hard to play with girls we've never played with before," said Vernon Hill's Julia Urato, who played for Bartlett in the spring, "but we've got a good season going."
Because interest has been so high this summer, the league hosted its first all-star game on Monday at Slater Field in Webster.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity with the rule of only five players per travel team," said Webster-Dudley's Sienna Stawiecki, who attends Marianapolis Prep and is committed to Division 2 Pace University. "I think it’s a good opportunity to really get to know people outside your organizations and I think it builds really good friendships.”
The all-star game featured four players from each of the eight teams split up into the East Team and the West team. The East team consisted of Framingham, Franklin, Northborough and Vernon Hill, while Charlton, Cherry Valley, Sturbridge and Webster-Dudley made up the West Team.
“It’s nice to play with my friends that play on all the teams," said Cherry Valley's Ava Lamothe, who attends Auburn High. "I know a lot of the girls on all the other post teams, so it’s like high school again.”
Before the game, the teams came together and took a photo a home plate.
"It’s a good way to come together with girls from a bunch of different areas and play with them and get to know more people," Northborough's Sari Grenier, who also plays for Shrewsbury High. "It’s a good level of softball to with a bunch of different ages. It’s a good experience for girls our age to try.”
The West Team jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the top of the first and rolled to a 16-1 victory. Stawiecki, Reece Dickey, Kaelyn Pellicane, Jaclyn Sullivan and Brynn Boucher all had a hit and scored. Addison Dono notched two hits and two runs, while Lamont smacked two hits and scored.
Sloane Gaudreau scored the lone run for the East Team in the fourth inning when she reached on a single and advanced home thanks to two errors and a passed ball.
Stawiecki, who just graduated from Marianapolis Prep, and Lamont, who recently graduated from Auburn High, have played in the the league since the beginning and are both proud of the roles they played in helping softball American Legion grow.
Stawiecki said her summer with the American Legion squad will help her make the jump to college softball.
"It definitely helps in the sense of brand new teammates, not knowing a lot of coaches, getting used to different coaching styles and techniques," she said. "Getting to know the girls as teammates is definitely a good strategy for college."
So what's the next step for softball American Legion? More expansion – this time on a broader scale.
“We’re hoping to go statewide," Sears said. "We are the only state in New England that has started Legion softball. There are other states that have Legion softball, but not anywhere near here right now and we’ve hoping to become as popular as Legion baseball.”
—Contact Michael Shattuck at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @MikeShattuck
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: All-Star game shows how American Legion softball has grown in state
Continue reading...
That's when she and Jessica Park was approached by Jodie Pajak with an offer to start American Legion softball.
"We have daughters who play softball," Sears said. "We know the softball world, and we started getting all the teams together and her and I are both on the committee now and this is how far we’ve got."
You must be registered for see images attach
American Legion softball started with two teams in 2024 and expanded to four teams in 2025. The league expaneded again in 2026, adding four more teams to make an eight-team league. Cherry Valley Post 443, coached by Parker, Franklin Post 75, Charlton Post 391, Webster-Dudley Post 184, Northborough Post 234, Vernon Hill Post 435, Framingham Post 117 and Sturbridge Post 109 all competed this summer.
The season runs through the end of the month, with Webster-Dudley (3-0), Sturbridge (2-0) and Vernon Hill on the top of the heap.
"It's hard to play with girls we've never played with before," said Vernon Hill's Julia Urato, who played for Bartlett in the spring, "but we've got a good season going."
You must be registered for see images attach
All-Star game celebrates success of the league
Because interest has been so high this summer, the league hosted its first all-star game on Monday at Slater Field in Webster.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity with the rule of only five players per travel team," said Webster-Dudley's Sienna Stawiecki, who attends Marianapolis Prep and is committed to Division 2 Pace University. "I think it’s a good opportunity to really get to know people outside your organizations and I think it builds really good friendships.”
You must be registered for see images attach
The all-star game featured four players from each of the eight teams split up into the East Team and the West team. The East team consisted of Framingham, Franklin, Northborough and Vernon Hill, while Charlton, Cherry Valley, Sturbridge and Webster-Dudley made up the West Team.
“It’s nice to play with my friends that play on all the teams," said Cherry Valley's Ava Lamothe, who attends Auburn High. "I know a lot of the girls on all the other post teams, so it’s like high school again.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Before the game, the teams came together and took a photo a home plate.
"It’s a good way to come together with girls from a bunch of different areas and play with them and get to know more people," Northborough's Sari Grenier, who also plays for Shrewsbury High. "It’s a good level of softball to with a bunch of different ages. It’s a good experience for girls our age to try.”
The West Team jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the top of the first and rolled to a 16-1 victory. Stawiecki, Reece Dickey, Kaelyn Pellicane, Jaclyn Sullivan and Brynn Boucher all had a hit and scored. Addison Dono notched two hits and two runs, while Lamont smacked two hits and scored.
Sloane Gaudreau scored the lone run for the East Team in the fourth inning when she reached on a single and advanced home thanks to two errors and a passed ball.
You must be registered for see images attach
Stawiecki, who just graduated from Marianapolis Prep, and Lamont, who recently graduated from Auburn High, have played in the the league since the beginning and are both proud of the roles they played in helping softball American Legion grow.
Stawiecki said her summer with the American Legion squad will help her make the jump to college softball.
"It definitely helps in the sense of brand new teammates, not knowing a lot of coaches, getting used to different coaching styles and techniques," she said. "Getting to know the girls as teammates is definitely a good strategy for college."
You must be registered for see images attach
So what's the next step for softball American Legion? More expansion – this time on a broader scale.
“We’re hoping to go statewide," Sears said. "We are the only state in New England that has started Legion softball. There are other states that have Legion softball, but not anywhere near here right now and we’ve hoping to become as popular as Legion baseball.”
—Contact Michael Shattuck at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @MikeShattuck
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: All-Star game shows how American Legion softball has grown in state
Continue reading...
