Minnesota Twins fund first all-girls 14U baseball team headed to national competition
The Minnesota Twins are making a major investment in the future of women's sports. They're the first MLB team to fully fund a 14U youth girls baseball team.
They practice at Billy Peterson Field in St. Paul. Players drove from all across Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota to be there.
"It's so crazy to me that there's this many girls that we can form a team," said Kyleigh Salden, a 14-year-old catcher and pitcher on the team, who is ecstatic for this opportunity.
"I was just screaming in my head [when I got the call]. I was so happy," said Salden.
Salden has been playing baseball in Waconia, Minnesota, since she was 3 years old, but always on a boys team.
"When I'm playing baseball with all the guys, there's a whole bunch of highs and there's a whole bunch of lows, but with this team, it's all equal and we're all the same, so it's just amazing," said Salden.
It's just as much of a special moment for head coach Chelsey Falzone, who wishes she had this when she was growing up.
"This is a dream come true for me every day. I was a little girl, just like these girls, and all I wanted to do was play baseball, and my only opportunity to do that was to play on my brother's team," said Falzone.
The team of 13 teenage girls is fully funded and supported by the Minnesota Twins and gets to wear the "TC" proudly on their uniforms.
"This is the Minnesota Twins saying, 'Girls belong in baseball, period,'" said Falzone.
Falzone says the impact of a team like this plays out so obviously in practice.
"The girls can relax a bit more if they make a bad throw, if they have an error. All eyes are not on them out here, like they are when they go play at their leagues because they're the only ponytail on the field," said Falzone.
As the only all-girls team in the state, the search for competitive games has taken them to the national stage. They're headed to Reno, Nevada, to compete against girls teams from all over the country and the world on July 21. They hope that the tournament sparks more interest locally, creating more chances to play closer to home.
"We feel this is a small step, but a mighty step," said Falzone.
"I just hope this team keeps playing, and I can be on the team as long as possible," said Salden.
The team was celebrated at the Twins game on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Twins Community Fund is sponsoring the team to compete and provide the field space for practices and uniforms.
