It started, like so many stories in small-town America do, with a kid, a glove, and a dream.

Years ago, Sue and Dickie McDonald found themselves on the sidelines of a Little League game in Frederick County, Virginia—not just as parents, but as quiet witnesses to something greater unfolding. Their son had joined a team, and like any parent, they watched, cheered, and hoped. But when Sue realized her boy only got seven at-bats all season, something inside her stirred. This could be better, she thought. Not just for her kid—for every kid.

And so began a decades-long journey. Not of fame or fortune, but of field chalk, concession stand shifts, team schedules, and tireless nights under the glow of field lights.

Sue became president of Frederick County National Little League and held the title for over 30 years. Dickie—coach, mentor, board member, and father-figure to countless young players—stood right beside her. Together, they didn’t just run a league. They built a family, shaped a generation, and kept a community tradition alive when it would’ve been easier to walk away.

There were highs: All-Star teams marching off to state tournaments. District championships hosted with pride. And fields—those sacred diamonds—scraped together from borrowed land and backed by handshakes and personal guarantees. Sue even took up residence in the concession stand just to pay off the league’s loan for their Passage Road complex.

There were challenges, too: fields too few for the growing number of players, splitting teams by alphabetical last name just to keep up, and nights when the volunteer list was just a list of one.

But every sacrifice came with purpose.

Because for Sue and Dickie, it was always for the kids.

Not just to teach them how to field a grounder or swing a bat—but to teach them how to talk to one another, to win with grace and lose with dignity. To show up, be part of something bigger, and belong.

The game wasn’t just the game. It was life, painted in red dirt and white chalk.

Now, we find ourselves at another crossroads.

Frederick County National Little League has always pushed forward through passion and perseverance. But today, the league needs something more. The dream that once lived in Sue’s and Dickie’s hearts now needs the community to carry the torch.

The "Pitch In for the Future" campaign is a call to every business, every parent, every former player and community member who ever smiled on those sidelines.

We’re not just raising funds—we're raising the next generation.

Funds will help complete and light the fields at Passage Road. They’ll support year-round training spaces. They’ll give every kid a safe, vibrant place to learn, grow, and play.

But more than money, we need heart.

We need volunteers in the concession stand, in the dugout, in the stands—present. Not just for a game, but for a legacy.

As Sue said, “People forget—we’re not paid to do this. We’re all volunteers.” And yet, she showed up every day after work, staying until 11 at night. Dickie coached, mentored, and taught life lessons between innings.

They did it so every child had a chance to belong.

Now, it’s our turn. Your turn.

So if you’ve ever felt that tug in your chest when you hear a bat crack against a ball... if you’ve ever laced up your cleats or watched a kid grin ear to ear under a dusty baseball cap... if you’ve ever believed in something bigger than yourself—this is your moment.

Pitch in. For the fields. For the future. For the kids.

Let’s build something they’ll talk about 30 years from now.
Learn more about the Pitch In for the Future Capital Campaign.