SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – Little League baseball is all about giving kids the chance to shine, and the Chet Waggoner Little League Major All-Stars are doing just that. <\/p>\n
They earned their place in the 2025 Indiana Little League Baseball State Championship. <\/p>\n
And even more exciting? They\u2019re hosting the tournament, welcoming the top teams from across the Hoosier State.<\/p>\n
The tournament kicked off on Thursday and runs through Tuesday, and it draws quite the crowd. Over 1,000 people have turned out to watch as young athletes from across Indiana compete for a spot in the regional tournament with hopes of making it all the way to the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
Among the contenders is Chet Waggoner, a talented but young team that\u2019s proving they belong. They kept their championship hopes alive on Saturday with a 10-0 win over Broad Ripple in the elimination bracket. Next up will be a rematch against Hagerstown on Sunday at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n
But no matter the outcome, this tournament is a milestone moment for the players.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about the kids,\u201d says John Overmyer, longtime volunteer at Chet Waggoner. \u201cWe always talk about in sportsmanship and a lot of times it\u2019s not about the kids, it\u2019s about winning or losing. This isn\u2019t about winning and losing. This is all about the kids, and that\u2019s what keeps drawing back myself and a lot of the volunteers here. We have a love for kids and a love for sports. That really makes it fun for them, and that\u2019s why we do it every time. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great for all of the kids here to go to Notre Dame, then they are going to go to the South Bend Cubs game tonight for that game,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt\u2019s really good for the community as a whole. Plus, the kids are having a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n