Senior played big role at Little League World Series

Hannah Smith had a good reason for showing up a week late for her senior year at Carolina. She had work to do and press conferences to run at the Little League World Series.

Smith, who is double-majoring in media and journalism and exercise and sport science, recently returned to Chapel Hill from South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. She spent the summer there as a media relations intern with Little League and played an important role at its 12-day signature event that ended Aug. 24.

The LLWS, held since 1947 and broadcast on ESPN for decades, is arguably baseball in one of its purest forms: teams of 10- to 12-year-olds from across the world entranced with America’s pastime and competing to win. Chinese Taipei defeated Nevada in the final, 7-0.

Smith was the conduit between these tween stars — in some cases future pros — and the press, as she helped oversee the credentialing process of nearly 250 media members and orchestrated media appearances by players and coaches.

“It’s been the best experience ever,” said Smith, who decided to attend Carolina after she was preadmitted into the Hussman School of Journalism and Media.

Smith (left) worked her internship through Aug. 24, when the LLWS concluded. (Submitted photo)

The online listing for the internship appealed to her because it combined her passions for sports, communications and youth development.

She also volunteered twice before at the Little League Softball World Series, held in her hometown of Greenville, North Carolina. “I loved meeting people from all across the world and getting to hear about their lives,” she said.

Before the baseball internship, Smith was an athletic director intern at Durham Academy, photographer at a summer camp, operations manager and official at UNC Campus Recreation and sports writer at The Daily Tar Heel.

Early in the summer, she wrote stories about Little League umpires (all volunteers) and conducted research on the number of former LLWS participants who went on to make the college baseball and softball world series and get selected in the MLB draft.

As the LLWS drew closer, she wrote press releases when international teams qualified and helped with the physical signage around the stadiums.

Smith helped with physical signage at the LLWS. (Submitted photo)

The excitement built once the teams arrived. One of her favorite memories was what she called the “car wash process,” a crash course media day for players and coaches.

“We take their height. We make sure all their numbers are correct. We make sure all their names are spelled correctly for the ESPN graphics and our digital web purposes,” she said. “All of the team photos and headshots are taken, and then we send them over to ESPN for their video production.”

The most rewarding part of Smith’s work was being one of the first people to talk to players and coaches after a game.

“You’re getting to have fun with them before bringing them in front of the media,” Smith said.  “Also watching the coaches care so much about these kids has been so powerful. I feel like that comes out when they talk about them in the press conference.”

Smith helped oversee the credentialing process for the nearly 250 media members who attended the LLWS. (Submitted photo)

Her classes at Hussman helped Smith develop the skills she’s using in the real world.

“My journalism classes have been so professional and have taught me a lot,” said Smith, who’s a part of the school’s sports communication program.

Smith made sure to email her professors back in May about her legit reason for arriving a week late in the fall. This was no extended summer vacation.

“They were all very willing to work with me,” Smith said.

Her professors told her, “Don’t worry about class right now. Enjoy your time there because this is what it’s all about.”