MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — A group of young Wisconsin baseball players is making history this summer as the first all-girls team from the state to compete at the 2026 Baseball For All Nationals.
The Wisconsin All Stars Girls Baseball Team is preparing for the tournament later this month — a milestone that players and coaches say is bigger than just baseball.
For 12-year-old catcher and second baseman Finnley Chesak, the moment reflects how much the sport is changing for girls.
"There aren't a lot of girls in baseball, and it's like a male-dominated sport or whatever, but like it's really cool that there are girls that want to play and that they can," Chesak said.
For assistant coach Lilly Rechlitz, the journey carries a deeper meaning. She played baseball herself, but always had to suit up for teams outside of Wisconsin. Watching this team come together brought back memories of her own experiences.
Watch: Wisconsin girls baseball team makes history heading to national tournament
"It kind of felt like a Field of Dreams moment, almost, when we went to our first-ever Baseball For All," Rechlitz smiled.
Nearly two dozen girls from the organization will travel to Nationals later this month. Rechlitz said seeing the girls bond on and off the field is one of the best parts of BFA Nationals.
"Watching all the girls smile and laugh and meet other people and building a bond, building friendships, building memories that last a lifetime, is just like — I'm at a loss for words. It's truly amazing. It makes me like emotional, almost. Jeez," Rechlitz chuckled.
For 12-year-old catcher Maci Walter, competing alongside other girls adds a unique dimension to the experience.
"I think it's cool to like have it be all girls because you get to see like everybody else's like skill level," Walter said.
Chesak said the size of the team itself is something to celebrate.
"The fact that we are able to get a big team together and the fact that we have this many girls that want to play baseball is really cool to me," Chesak said.
12U pitcher and second baseman Helena Grusenski summed up one of the team's favorite perks with a laugh.
"Not having to listen to all the boys. I mean all girls is just much more fun. Boys are kind of boring," Grusenski laughed.
Rechlitz said she hopes the team's journey inspires other girls to step onto the diamond without hesitation.
"Just be you, and I feel like that's exactly how I feel when I'm on a baseball field," Rechlitz said.
The 2026 Baseball For All Nationals will take place July 19-25 in Rockford, Ill.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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