KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This summer has been huge for women's baseball and softball as the spotlight on both continues to grow.
Kansas City hosted dozens of young women hoping to sharpen their skills.
Monday, final cuts start for the hundreds of athletes trying out for the Women's Professional Baseball League.
In less than a week, the debut season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League wraps up. The MLB called its investment in the league "a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive partnership with a women’s professional sports league."
Plus, a record audience watched this summer's NCAA Softball Women's College World Series. Liberty native Ashton Maloney helped the Texas Longhorns win it all in June.
THE TEXAS LONGHORNS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PROGRAM HISTORY 🤘🏆
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 7, 2025
(6) @TexasSoftball defeats (12) Texas Tech, 10-4, to take home its first National Championship!#WCWS pic.twitter.com/IvuLfYj0by
"It was surreal," she said.
Maloney said it's also been surreal to watch softball's popularity soar.
"It's really special just to see the recognition that softball deserves, and that we're finally getting it," Maloney said.
The NCAA posted this year's Women's College World Series averaged 1.3 million viewers over 15 games, the most ever. Viewers increased 24% over just the last year.
"Everybody watches women's sports," Maloney said.
At the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy this summer, the MLB invited more than 100 female athletes to the Elite Development Invitational.
"Softball is life. It's so much fun," said M'kyla Cisneros, of Overland Park.
About 130 girls came from nearly 30 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. I spoke with five who call Kansas City home.
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"Right now, there's so many girls here. They're trying to make it bigger than college," said Kenadie Addison, who goes to Shawnee Mission North High School.
Professional opportunities for women are growing with the Athletes Unlimited Softball League and the Women's Professional Baseball League.
The Women's Professional Baseball League tryouts — which are being held at Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals — are the first for a pro women's baseball team in decades.
"Every time I get on a field, I get that same feeling like I'm home," former athlete Jeneane Lesko told me.
Jeneane "Lefty" Lesko pitched in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1950s.
"Oh, it takes me back a few years," she said. "I used to play softball when I was in high school because, of course, they wouldn't let girls play baseball."
She had so many stories, and she loved being in Kansas City to meet these aspiring players of both games.
"I think it's really great that they're simultaneously working together," she said.
The girls at the five-day camp had a chance to talk to icons, like Lesko, about where the game has been. They also got to go to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and learn about players Toni Stone, Mamie Johnson and Connie Morgan.
"We want professional baseball to take off just like professional softball is taking off, and we want both to exist. I really believe both can exist," said Veronica Alvarez, who played for and managed the USA Baseball Women's National Team.
From a young age, Alvarez said she knew she wanted to be the first major leaguer. Her love for the game led her to a position with the MLB in player development for the A's and as the Girls' Baseball Ambassador.
"Usually the response is, 'Just go play softball.' Right? And it's like, no, they wanna play baseball," Alvarez said. "Everyone thinks that we're just trying to break into this men's game, when in reality, it's not a men's game. It's a game that both genders play, and we just wanna play it."
Two-time Olympian Natasha Watley is one of the MLB's youth softball ambassadors. She also serves as an advisor to the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
"The best moments of my life. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would," she said.
Watley believes the investment and partnership from the MLB in this professional women's softball league is key.
"It means everything," she said. "As a young girl, I looked up to MLB players. And I always say that heroes are genderless, but I always say: What if I had a woman to look up to?"
Everyone I talked to touched on the chance to have even bigger dreams now.
"I wanna be behind the scenes," said Belton senior Makayla McConnell. "I feel like I could grow the game better on that side."
Watley said she's hopeful for the future of the games.
"For our young daughters, this is their norm," she said.
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