KSHB 41 News anchor Lindsay Shively offers coverage on a wide variety of topics, including stories of interest to consumers. Reach out to Linsday via email.
Kansas City now has a professional women’s softball team, and tonight is the Kansas City Diamonds' home opener at Legends Field.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m., two hours before the game.
Fans will be able to watch batting practice, buy merchandise and more.
Youth players will welcome the pro athletes on the field.
The KC Diamonds have 2-1 record after they won their first series of the season against the Atlanta Smoke in Puerto Rico.
I got a chance to stop by KC Diamonds Softball camp yesterday. This is the first year the team has offered the camp.
There were more than 250 kids there, with Diamonds players coaching them.
I also got a chance to talk to a KC Diamonds player, one of the kids at the camp, and her mom about what it means to have a pro softball team like this.
“It means everything to me, I mean, growing up, I didn't even think this was possible,” said Kasey Ricard, a pitcher for the KC Diamonds. “I’m from Massachusetts, so being able to fly out here and being able to play with even people that I watched growing up is just insane. It’s a really cool thing to be able to be part of the first season for the Kansas City Diamonds and to be able to have little girls look up to you and just grow the game of softball."
Brynlee King, 11, told me she started playing softball a few years ago.
Now she has some big dreams.
“I wanted to play in college, and if I could, I would play for the KC Diamonds,” she said.
Her mom, Jessica Pearson, used to play softball herself until she was 16.
I asked her what she would tell her teenage self now that there is a pro team in Kansas City.
“Don’t quit,” she said. “It’s exciting. Women’s sports in Kansas City is booming, and I couldn’t be more proud, more happy.”
Thousands are expected at the Wednesday night home opener, but there are still some tickets left that you can buy on the team website as well as more tickets for the games on Thursday and Friday.
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