Playing With a Purpose: How The Uvalde Little League Team Will Keep Memories of Their Teammates Alive

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 Currents News Staff

More than six weeks removed and nearly 60 miles away from Robb Elementary School, JJ Suarez still struggles to speak about the deadliest school shooting in Texas history.

“Uvalde, we’re a tight knit community,” said Suarez, President of the Uvalde Little League, “and we lost 21 individuals – 22 with Joe to this tragedy.”

With ribbons in their hair and logos on their uniforms, players on both a softball team and baseball team from Uvalde compete in the junior sectional tournament in Castroville, Texas.

Cheryl Sanchez is not only the softball player agent for Uvalde little league, but her daughter is a member of the team.

“The resiliency they have shown has just been remarkable,” said Sanchez. “In many ways, I think, they’re doing better than the adults.”

More than half of the 19 students killed inside Robb Elementary were involved with Uvalde Little League. That number includes six victims who were registered to play this season.

“We have a very small facility,” said Sanchez. “So they served as mentors to the younger ones and they’re also there to support the siblings who lost their loved ones. It’s not something that can be put into words easily, because it is unbelievable.”

Actions speak louder than words even when those words are hard to find. So this group of little leaguers is taking the field for their friends, family members and teachers who were taken far too soon.

“In speaking with some of the family members of the little leaguers that we lost,” said Suarez, “They encouraged us to continue moving forward.”

Moving forward without moving on.