Little League® is excited to announce Dave and Jolene Hoover, parents of 2008 Little League Softball® World Series champion and current Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) athlete Carley Hoover and her sister Hayley, as the recipients of the 2025 George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year Award.
“One of our most prestigious honors, the George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year Award, celebrates the parents who exemplify the values of Little League who are dedicated to creating a positive and meaningful experience for their children,” said Pat Wilson, Little League President and CEO. “Dave and Jolene Hoover are the embodiment of that commitment and a positive example for the millions of parents all around the world who trust in our program. From the start, they prioritized fun, growth, and support in Carley’s Little League journey, ensuring that she not only became a great athlete but a great person.”
Carley’s athletic journey didn’t begin on the diamond – instead, she made her mark on the football field. But when she came to terms with the reality that playing professional football wasn’t in the cards, it was her father who encouraged her to give softball a try.
The Hoovers knew that the Little League program was the best competition for Carley’s age, but access to a Little League team was more than an hour away at the time.
“My dad was super dedicated to getting me to everything,” said Carley. “He took the time to drive me to practices and games around four times a week and on the weekends.”
Dave credits the success of Little League to its dedicated parents and volunteers who come back year after year to make the experience so memorable for each player at each stage in tournament play.
For three years, Hoover’s team from Simpsonville, South Carolina, continued to grow and get better, eventually finding their way to Portland, Oregon, for the Little League Softball World Series in 2008.
Jolene, the winningest volleyball coach in Clemson University history, was able to step aside from coaching for the weekend, board a flight, and travel straight to the field to see Carley pitch in the semifinal and championship games at Alpenrose. While Jolene was not always able to be in the stands, her volleyball team played a major role in Carley’s development as a player.
“A big part of both of our daughters’ success in life, and certainly in sports, was being exposed to Jolene’s…
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