Ready to become Maddy again

Jim and Mary Mootz are the grandparents of Maddy Freking, 12-year-old baseball player Coon Rapids-Andover, who has stormed the Little League World Series since the beginning of the tournament on August 15 .

"It's exciting but a bit intense," laughed Mary Mootz. "We are so proud of her and the team."

Freking is the daughter of Rich and Jessica Freking, the daughter of Mootz. A graduate of Willmar in 1995, Jessica played basketball and volleyball on her preparation days and also participated in what is now Ridgewater College in Willmar.

There is a lot of talk about Maddy in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and much further since the start of the LLWS last week. Apparently, all news and sports networks and web services have published articles about her and she has appeared in "Good Morning America".

Freking is only the 19th girl to play in the LLWS in 72 years of history.

"It's an honor," Maddy told ESPN. "I also think it's really cool to be, on how many boys, the 19th girl to be here."

Jessica said the LLWS organization does a great job in protecting all players and preventing overexposure so that they can focus on the game and enjoy the overall experience.

Maddy had fun playing with her team and meeting other players from around the world, and the spotlight did not bother her. But it's time to become a regular girl again, Jessica said.

"She's having a good time," Jessica said. "She does not take care of the attention and she handled it well. But she is ready to become Maddy again. "

Freking's kids love sport and Freking's son, Evan, who will soon be 14, played in a team that reached the regional semifinals of Little League last year. He and his sister Ella, who will be nine in September, and his brother Matthew, six, spent the week watching their sister play on the big stage.

After watching the Evan team last year, Maddy was determined to live the same adventure, said Mary.

"She's been playing baseball since she was a kid," said Mary. "And they are all good. They are concentrated there, they love it and they stick to it. She is very competitive, very attentive and focused. "

But Maddy will not let herself be carried away by the fact that her team has gone one step further than his.

"Someone asked if she was going to rub her face," Jessica laughs. "She just said, no, she did not want to hurt her feelings. (Evan's) was a champion about it."