Charlottesville, VA – Two-time National Team alumna Naomi Ryan co-hosted a Homegrown Clinic with USA Baseball, teaching the fundamentals of the game to over 50 kids at The Miller School of Albermarle in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past Saturday.

“I was most excited about meeting everybody,” said Naomi Ryan. “Being able to represent the community around central Virginia, being able to show all these kids that are going to be here that they have something they can strive for. Learning from others, and creating community at this camp, so many of these kids won’t know each other, and being able to learn from each other, talk to each other, and form those connections is special.”

During the clinic, the kids traveled from station to station, learning different skills such as fielding, throwing, catching, and hitting, all while being coached by one of their hometown’s most recognizable athletes. After they learned the fundamentals, they competed against one another, with Ryan taking the hill in some of the games.

“Naomi is my idol,” said MK Van Dorn, who participated in the clinic. “I have been looking up to her for a really long time, ever since I went to Florida and saw her play; she has been one of my favorite players.”

Following the competition, Ryan sat down with the kids to participate in a Q&A session, answering questions about her favorite moments with Team USA and The Miller School, as well as questions about who her favorite teammate is. Nobody left without an autograph from the Charlottesville native, as Ryan signed posters, shirts, and books for every attendee, all in an effort to give back to the community that has been so supportive of her.

“One of the biggest reasons I do this is to show little girls that they can do whatever they want to do, no matter what people say. No matter the backlash you get from what you’re doing, just continue to do what you love, don’t listen to what people say, and prove to yourself that you can do it,” Ryan said.

Naomi has gone on to play at The Miller School, where she serves as a team captain, and she has also represented Team USA’s Women’s National Team in 2023 and 2024. However, for her mother, Cornelia, none of this has come as a surprise.

“We knew pretty early that she was unique. In tee-ball, lots of kids are picking up roses and daisies in the outfield, never her,” said her mother, Cornelia Ryan. “She was trying to make every play. She didn’t care what position she was supposed to be playing; if the ball came on the field, Naomi was attempting to make a defensive play. So, we kind of knew that she was special. It’s been amazing to see how far she’s gone.”

At the Miller School, Naomi serves as a team captain, a position voted on by her teammates. For her head coach, Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, the growth he has seen from Naomi has been remarkable.

“She really goes out every day and does everything you ask of her on the field. She’s starting to reap some of the rewards from her work, but it’s taken perseverance to overcome the stigma of a female being in a male sport, and now she is setting a standard that our team respects a lot more because of all the things she’s had to overcome,” said Miller School Head Coach Billy Wagner.

Ryan was part of the 2023 and 2024 Women’s National Team, which played in Thunder Bay, Canada, in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Baseball World Cup Group Stage and Finals. In her two stints with the Women’s National Team, she holds a 10-1 record across those appearances. In 2023, she had a .455 batting average and a zero earned run average on the mound. In 2024, she hit .294 and was named to the All-tournament team at first base.

“Playing with the USA logo across my chest meant so much to me,” said Ryan. “I’ve been looking forward to it since I was 10, and being able to play with some of the women I watched growing up and being able to still learn from them was something that meant a lot to me.”

Before everyone went their separate ways, Ryan’s one piece of advice for the upcoming generation of Charlottesville baseballers was to have fun.

“Have fun. Having fun with this game, this sport is a game. You started playing because you wanted to have fun, and you love it. Just continue to do that,” Ryan said.