Little League team honored with parade
‘I’m very proud of our girls and our community’
People from both near and far came out to Olivehurst Sunday afternoon to watch and honor the Western Regional championship runner-up Olivehurstlinda Little League softball team march through town toward Yuba Gardens Schools in a homecoming parade.
The Olivehurst-linda team advanced to the San Bernardino tournament and was one game short of winning the West Regional title and advancing to the Little League Softball World Series in
Portland. The team fell 2-1 to Honolulu, Hawaii.
People from as far away as Indiana attended the parade to watch and support the Olivehurst-linda softball team.
Glenda Frazier, a former Olivehurst resident who visits her mom in town over the summer, said the support is overwhelming.
“I’m very proud of our girls and our community and that’s why we were here,” Frazier said. “We were hoping to get big support.”
Frazier’s mom, Virginia Burrow, 91, was a parade participant on a motor scooter, traveling down Olivehurst Avenue between the emergency personnel vehicles and the Little League softball team.
“We love our community,” Frazier said. “I haven’t been here for the process, I just learned that they went to San Bernardino (and) lost by one run.”
Frazier was one of the many people lining the streets on both sides cheering on the players and their friends and family.
“(The support) gave them a lot of confidence and energy,” said Marilyn Kupser, whose granddaughter held the banner in the parade for the major allstars. “They loved it.”
The team received support from local businesses, organizations and government agencies, most of whom were present and spoke in support of their accomplishment.
Andy Vasquez, District 1 Yuba County Supervisor, the offices of Assemblyman James Gallagher and Senator Jim Nielsen and others showed their support as well at the awards ceremony following the parade.
Olivehurst-linda showed its appreciation by awarding plaques to all of the businesses, agencies and organizations that supported the team’s run this summer.
“It’s an amazing feeling and definitely good that the community was here to support us,” said second-year major Olivehurst-linda all-star Morgan Heggstrom. “We’re champions in their heart.
Heggstrom said this summer was the culmination of a run, which fell short of San Bernardino a year ago.
“Last year was a fresh start. We were determined (this summer) to get to the Western Regionals,” Heggstrom said. “It’s a dream.”
The celebration will continue at an upcoming Sacramento River Cats’ game where the team will reportedly throw out the first pitch, according to a team spokesperson.