In August 2025, the Summerlin South Little League team captured the attention—and the hearts—of our community by winning the United States National Championship at the Little League World Series. For a few electrifying weeks, Las Vegas wasn’t just a city of lights and entertainment, it was a baseball town.
While driving around town during that time, the pride was unmistakable. This was not a phenomenon that was limited to those who have children in the Summerlin South league or even the residents in the always-prideful Summerlin community. This was far reaching. Marquees lit up at local casinos, and digital billboards quickly transitioned from common promotions to a new message: “Congratulations to our Hometown Heroes!” And they were right. These young athletes embodied more than just victory—they showcased teamwork, discipline, and pride in representing something bigger than themselves.
This national victory resonated with me personally. As a parent whose son played in the Summerlin South Little League for many years, I saw firsthand the commitment it takes—the late practices, the hot Saturday games, and countless hours at the batting cages. I also know what this program means to our community: it’s about more than baseball. From my point of view, it is really about courage, commitment, and community. Because in Southern Nevada, “Hometown Heroes” aren’t just found on baseball diamonds in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They’re everywhere.
They’re first responders, rushing toward emergencies while the rest of us move away. They’re the military personnel (±12,000 at Nellis Air Force Base), police officers (±5,000 valley-wide), firefighters (±2,500 valley-wide), and emergency medical service providers (±1,500 at AMR, MedicWest, Community, and Guardian Elite ambulance companies) who don’t just keep us safe, but also anchor our communities with steadfast service.
They’re healthcare professionals—the tens of thousands of nurses, doctors, technicians, and aides who walk with our families through moments of vulnerability and healing. They’ve been tested in unimaginable ways in recent years, and yet, they continue to fight for us with skill and compassion.
They’re educators, showing up every day in classrooms to shape not just young minds but young character. They work in a world that’s rapidly changing with technology, curriculum pressures, and social challenges. Yet, they continue to serve, in public and private schools, because they believe in the potential of every student.
They’re public servants, too—from sanitation workers to park maintenance teams to city planners—often working behind the scenes to ensure the places we live and work are cleaner, safer, and more connected.
And sometimes, they’re not defined by titles at all. Sometimes they’re the neighbor who checks in on an elderly resident, the single parent working two jobs and still coaching a youth soccer team, or the volunteer who delivers meals to those in need. In so many ways, these everyday acts form the foundation of Southern Nevada’s community spirit.
The Summerlin South Little League team reminded us that heroes can wear cleats. But we’re surrounded every day by those who wear badges, stethoscopes, lanyards, aprons—or just a smile. In a city often defined by its dazzle, it’s easy to overlook the depth. But beneath the surface is a community of people who show up for each other every day.
So let’s keep celebrating our hometown heroes—not just when there’s a trophy or a headline, but every time someone chooses service over spotlight, generosity over recognition, and care over convenience. Because at the end of the day, many of us are striving—quietly and earnestly—to be someone’s hero. And that’s something worth honoring.