Western Springs Little League girls softball teams building off past success

WESTERN SPRINGS, Ill. — Western Springs Little League (WSLL) has been an anchor in the community for a long time. Offering baseball and softball, the baseball program tends to be the one you hear about the most–especially if you are like me and have only sons who enjoy sports. However, many Westerns Springs parents are now working together to grow and build the girls softball program to be more well-known in the community.

About two years ago, Luke Stojak, who has coached his daughter Avery for the last 3 years, partnered with the WSLL Board to make enhancements to the girls softball program.  “The WSLL is very baseball focused. But there is a bigger interest in softball each year and the Board is definitely supportive of the growth,” stated Stojak. A few initiatives added this year are more training opportunities for players and coaches, a postseason series, and the opportunity to strut their talents in All-Star games.

With three divisions, there are approximately 250 girls involved in the program. The youngest players are first and second graders who make up the Peanut Division. Third and fourth graders play in the Minor Division and sixth and seventh graders join the Major Division. The Peanuts Division did not continue into the postseason, but 60 girls from the Minors and Majors were invited to tryout for the All-Star game. Of the 30 girls who attended the tryouts 26 stuck around to play the games.

One of those 26 is Virginia Dockter, a twelve-year-old veteran softball player and pitcher in the WSLL. Her joy of softball began in Kindergarten when her family lived in Riverside, Illinois. For the last 2 years, however, she’s been in Western Springs. Virginia shared that she loves the pace of softball. “Baseball takes forever. In softball, the pitches are faster, the mound is closer to home plate, and the bases are closer together. All of the positions are closer to the batter.” She also shared the differences in the field itself. “There is no grass on the infield so the ball moves differently than a baseball. It bounces around on the dirt a lot more.” Virginia added that she enjoys the MLB and favors her dad’s hometown team, the Boston Red Sox.

Her younger sister, “almost 81/2 year old” Charlotte, is excited to be moving from the Peanut Division to the Minors next spring. “It’s just fun. We get to run around everywhere and be crazy,” shared Charlotte with a big smile. Charlotte also called out the good sportsmanship that she has learned as a player. “Probably losing is better than winning because you actually understand the game and learn how to play better.” 

The Dockter girls’ mother, Wendy, is also a veteran softball player (former pitcher) and current coach for both of her daughter’s teams. A player herself in both high school and college, Wendy is a huge supporter of kids sports and, of course, has a soft spot in her heart for softball. She loves the fact that she can share her passion for the sport with her daughters and watch all of the players grow and develop. 

Based on my conversation with the Dockter family, it is clear that Stojack’s efforts have definitely paid off. Virginia loved playing in the postseason. Her team, the “Green Spiky Cacti in the Grass”, had the best win/loss record of the season and finished 2nd in the playoffs. Wendy shared that parents also loved the postseason. “I heard parents saying that they usually come to the games to see other parents. But during the playoffs, they were actually watching the game.”  

The girls softball season kicks off in the Spring and is volunteer-run. For more information about the WSLL you can visit: westernspringslittleleague.com.

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