Youth bat-and-ball teams are finding success throughout the Western Slope, with multiple all-star teams from Garfield County pushing their way through district tournaments and are now chasing state titles.

The 12U Colorado River Valley All-Star softball roster, made up of girls from New Castle to Parachute, was finalized just mere weeks before they were set to fight their way through the Colorado Little League District 1 softball tournament. That proved to be a moot point. The team took first place in the tournament, held in June at Deerfield Park in Rifle.

“Their hard work and determination proves that they can do anything,” 12U assistant coach Kadie LaRoque said. “I’m excited to watch them take that energy into state.”

The girls proved themselves to be the best team in District 1 after facing off against teams from Grand Mesa, Monument, Three Rivers and more. They are now back in the lab before the state tournament begins at 6 p.m. Friday in Thornton. 

Head Coach Lyndie Gross was always confident in her team’s ability, but was excited at the chance to help the girls gain even more “softball IQ” before facing off against a tougher set of competition at the state tournament level. 

“They know the basics, they know how to field a ground ball,” Gross said. “Now it’s just teaching them the IQ. It’s explaining that “if this situation comes up, is it better for me to do this? Or that?” Building upon that IQ helps them become more confident players.”

Beyond the game, Gross and LaRoque said they value the opportunity to create a supportive space for the athletes.

“The fun of softball is it provides a place where they are able to be themselves without worrying about the stresses of life,” LaRoque said. “They can focus on what they need to focus on while in between the lines, and creating that safe place for them means everything to me.”

Finding the best nine to field on a valley-wide all-star team is like putting together a puzzle, and it only gets harder when team members are coming from different areas and backgrounds. 

Forming a cohesive all-star team from across the valley isn’t always easy, Gross said. The girls came from four different teams and had just under a month to bond.

“It’s the hardest part,” Gross admitted. “I always tell the girls that the girls you play softball with could be like your family.”

The girls will face off against the winners of every other district throughout the weekend in Thornton as they continue their pursuit of playing in the Little League World Series. 

The state tournament follows a best-of-three format, with one game each night. The winner will advance to the regional tournament in San Bernardino, California, later this month, with hopes of reaching the Little League World Series.