Hayward Little League star to play in Williamsport tournament designed to grow game for girls

Gigi Guadalupe is a gamer. Pick a sport, she'll play it. During the summer, that means doing both softball and baseball.

"It doesn't really matter to me," Gigi said. "I just love playing sports. I love interacting with everyone."

Her favorite player is Shohei Ohtani because much like the Dodgers' two-way star, Gigi does it all.

Now, she's getting the opportunity to showcase that talent on one of the biggest stages in youth sports.

This June, Gigi will represent Hayward Little League as one of just 100 kids in the country selected to play in a special tournament in Williamsport, the home of the Little League World Series, designed to grow the game for girls.

"To go to Williamsport, to go to the Little League World Series, it's really an honor," she said. "I had no idea this was ever going to happen."

Gigi's dad, Randall, said he first learned about the opportunity from her coach. After encouragement from other parents, he decided to submit an application.

The news of her selection came before the team's first game of the season, a moment he says he'll never forget.

"Just a proud moment. Very proud moment," Randall said. "As a father, seeing all her hard work and dedication pay off. It means everything."

With a bat in her hands, Gigi is in her element, fun-loving off the field but all business in the batter's box because representing an entire region in a sport played by thousands of kids her age isn't just about talent.

It's about drive.

"I'm just really happy," Gigi said. "It shows me how much I've been working since I was six, how much I can accomplish… it just proves anything is possible."

Gigi, a nickname she chose to honor Kobe Bryant and his daughter, said that mentality has helped shape who she is as an athlete.

Now, wearing number 8, she's building a legacy of her own.