​1 / 7Players from both teams line up before the first annual Mass American Legion All-Star Softball game July 13 in Webster.(Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette)WEBSTER — During the summer of 2023, Sue Sears, who is the president of the Leicester girls’ softball league, was preparing for the season. There was just one problem: There were no teams, which meant there wasn’t a season to prepare for.That’s when she and Jessica Park was approached by Jodie Pajak with an offer to start American Legion softball.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”We have daughters who play softball,” Sears said. “We know the softball world, and we started getting all the teams together and her and I are both on the committee now and this is how far we’ve got.”Jaclyn Sullivan drives in two runs for the West team during the first annual Mass American Legion All-Star Softball game July 13 in Webster.American Legion softball started with two teams in 2024 and expanded to four teams in 2025. The league expaneded again in 2026, adding four more teams to make an eight-team league. Cherry Valley Post 443, coached by Parker, Franklin Post 75, Charlton Post 391, Webster-Dudley Post 184, Northborough Post 234, Vernon Hill Post 435, Framingham Post 117 and Sturbridge Post 109 all competed this summer.The season runs through the end of the month, with Webster-Dudley (3-0), Sturbridge (2-0) and Vernon Hill on the top of the heap.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”It’s hard to play with girls we’ve never played with before,” said Vernon Hill’s Julia Urato, who played for Bartlett in the spring, “but we’ve got a good season going.”Sienna Stawiecki watches her single fly during the first annual Mass American Legion All-Star Softball game July 13 in Webster.Because interest has been so high this summer, the league hosted its first all-star game on Monday at Slater Field in Webster.“I think it’s a really good opportunity with the rule of only five players per travel team,” said Webster-Dudley’s Sienna Stawiecki, who attends Marianapolis Prep and is committed to Division 2 Pace University. “I think it’s a good opportunity to really get to know people outside your organizations and I think it builds really good friendships.”Addison Fiume pitches for the East team during the first annual Mass American Legion All-Star Softball game July 13 in Webster.The all-star game featured four players from each of the eight teams split up into the East Team and the West team. The East team consisted of Framingham, Franklin, Northborough and Vernon Hill, while Charlton, Cherry Valley, Sturbridge and Webster-Dudley made up the West Team.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“It’s nice to play with my friends that play on all the teams,” said Cherry Valley’s Ava Lamothe, who attends Auburn High. “I know a lot of the girls on all the other post teams, so it’s like high school again.”Players from both teams line up before the first annual Mass American Legion