ESPN broadcaster Julie Foudy drives a baseball themed golf cart next to Lamade Stadium on her way to do interviews at the 2022 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Aug. 2, 2022. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Julie Foudy didn’t hesitate for a second when she was asked what her favorite moment has been at the Little League World Series as an ESPN broadcaster so far. Foudy met a young man named Isaac Postma, a 21-year-old who has spinal muscular atrophy type 1.
Lying flat on a bed in front of Lamade Stadium, he couldn’t sit up to watch the game and had to watch it with his head to his side. He and his parents were from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and had always wanted to see the Little League World Series in person.
“I saw his two parents — and I have a friend with cerebral palsy, so I put my hands on Isaac and I said, ‘hey, what’s your name, buddy?’ His parents said ‘this is Isaac, this is his dream to come to the Little League World Series since he was little,’” Foudy said.
While they were in town, Foudy continued to stop by and talk with them every day.
“I said what if we put Isaac on TV and you guys tell your story?
Henry O’Brien yells to his brother Brehan O’Brien (7 and 9 years old respectively) of Seattle as they slide down the outfield hill at Lamade Stadium after a rain delay at the 2022 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Aug. 23, 2022. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Everyone says it’s a bucket list item. And Isaac started blinking really fast, and his parents said ‘that means yes, he wants to be on TV.'”
It was a special moment for Postma, his parents and Foudy to share together and for Foudy, epitomizes what coverage of the World Series truly is: telling special stories about those in attendance watching.
Foudy spoke to those in attendance on Thursday for the Ray Keyes Williamsport Kiwanis Salute to Little League Baseball at the Genetti. The event is named after Keyes, a former Sun-Gazette sports editor prior to his death in the late 1980s.
“I used to watch it for years on television and every time I watched it, I said I need to work this,” Foudy said. “There’s so much fun and joy and energy and all the good in youth sports that sometimes gets lost in the ugliness on the other side of youth sports.”
Foudy’s resume is one that’s nothing shy of impressive. The former soccer great was a standout player in college at Stanford before going on to win two FIFA World Cups in 1991 and 1999, and took home three Olympic medals by winning silver in 2000 and gold medals in 1996 and 2004. She was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2007.
Some players from the Media Pa. baseball team cheer for the team from Hollidaysburg (Mid-Atlantic Region) at the 2022 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Aug. 2, 2022. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Foudy’s sister and her family are coming to visit the Series this week, and Foudy emphasized to her how amazing of an event it is in person.
“I said there’s nothing like it and honestly, I’ve covered Olympics, World Cups, so many different things. There’s nothing like this because every year you come, there’s team hosts like Ron (Frick) who are the first to greet you, and ushers and security guards and family that come every year who come up to me and say something,” Foudy said. “I’ve never been a part of something like that. A continuity and loyalty like that. Every player and coach says it, too. This is incredible what this is in terms of how it’s impacted us as a team and players.”
Foudy was part of this year’s Grand Slam Parade to start the festivities in town, his first time being part of the parade. She rode in a golf cart alongside Hall of Fame pitcher and former New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera.
“Manny was tossing candy at kids and it was coming in hot like he was back on the mound,” Foudy said to laughs. “I said, ‘Manny, settle down.'”
“It’s the first time I’ve ever done the parade here and that was insane. That was crazy. Literally I was with Mariano Rivera, we were in the golf cart, I said ‘oh my gosh, it just keeps going.’ The people and the candy … it was impressive,” Foudy said.
.