Committed to creating more opportunities for youth athletes, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter Program has awarded Twin Rivers Little League out of New Bern, North Carolina, with a $25,000 Sports Matter grant.
“At Little League, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to experience the positive impact of Little League Softball,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Business Relationship Officer. “We are incredibly grateful to The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation for rallying behind the children, volunteers, and families of Twin Rivers Little League through its Sports Matter program. This investment is focused on helping to remove barriers to participation and strengthen the league’s ability to serve its community, and we are excited to see how Twin Rivers Little League will continue to invest in its own community, creating opportunities for the next generation of Girls with Game to run onto the diamond and make lifelong memories.”
The grant was presented to the league as a surprise during the 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) Pro Game at the Little League Softball® World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, on Wednesday, August 5.
“When communities invest in youth sports, they’re investing in the next generation,” said Rick Jordan, VP of The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation. “We’re proud to support Twin Rivers Little League with a Sports Matter grant that will help the league continue growing and providing more kids with a chance to play.”
After inheriting a program that was struggling financially in 2023, the newly formed board was looking for a way to stabilize the organization’s finances while setting itself up for a successful first season. In search of a program that offered coach training, volunteer resources, and organizational support, the board decided becoming an official Little League-affiliated program was the best next step. Twin Rivers LL kicked off its first season as an officially chartered Little League program in 2024 with 18 teams across five divisions of play, including four Tee Ball teams, which has become a major focus for the league.
“We were really looking for a total fresh start, and Little League gave us an opportunity to be a different organization—a better organization,” said Bill Poole, League President. “ We realized we needed to start our kids with experienced coaches in Tee Ball, and I think that’s been one of our biggest successes. A much higher percentage of kids now continue into the older age groups. I’ve seen what athletics does for kids. Kids who are involved in sports are so much more likely to take a positive path in life.”
Through strong relationships with community businesses and local government officials, as well as a well-run concession stand, Twin Rivers LL has been able to make significant changes to their facilities since 2024, enhancing the experience for the players without having to increase registration fees. Since its first Opening Day, Twin Rivers LL has made a significant investment into its facilities, and this grant will allow them to continue to provide these enhancements while providing new opportunities for the league to serve more children throughout the community in a safe environment.
“We started out with nothing. Today we’ve invested more than $25,000 back into our facilities, and we did it because our players deserve the best experience we can provide,” said Poole. “Without the support of so many businesses in our community, we simply wouldn’t be able to run the league.”
Today, Twin Rivers LL continues to serve more than 200 Little League Softball players, providing a fun experience rooted in safety and well-trained volunteers, and focused on providing each child with lifelong memories and a love for the game. With their feet now under them, they look forward to a future of growth.
“It means a ton to our league. We are a fairly young league, so sometimes it takes whatever we can take in to run the league, and this will help tremendously to serve a lot more kids,” said Poole. “We have had three pretty big projects done so far, and now we will have to think about what the next big thing is, but I am sure we will find the need.”
In 2017, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation made a five-year, $500,000 commitment to Little League Baseball and Softball. Little League has always desired to utilize the funds to support pressing and relevant needs of local leagues. Check out some of the ways The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation has supported Little League.
