Kyanna Olampo was 3 years old when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Two and a half years of chemotherapy followed. By age 6, she was back on a softball diamond.
Now 18, Olampo will take the field one final time alongside teammate and pitcher Kiley Collins when the Dixie Softball World Series opens July 25 at Starkey Ranch District Park in Odessa. The four-day tournament runs through July 28, bringing teams from 10 states to the 80-acre complex at 11880 Lake Blanche Ave.
It marks the first time the West Pasco Girls Fast-Pitch Softball Association has hosted the event since the 1980s, according to Tampa Bay 28 (WFTS).
"To a lot of outsiders it might not be a big deal, but to us, especially girls that have been playing longer than 2-3 years, it's quite a big deal," Collins told WFTS reporter Kyle Burger on July 20. "This is like the College World Series for us."
A Pitcher-Catcher Duo's Final Game Together
Olampo and Collins have played on the same team for roughly 15 years and have been a pitcher-catcher pair for 10 to 12 of those, Collins estimated. Both are aging out of Dixie eligibility after this tournament, making the World Series their final competition together.
Collins said she didn't learn Olampo had survived cancer until she was about 13 or 14. "She's come a long way and doesn't let it show," Collins said.
Olampo returned to softball immediately after finishing treatment at age 5. "I played right after my treatment was over, basically," she told WFTS.
Two West Pasco Teams Head to the World Series
The association is sending two squads to the World Series: the Belles in the 13-15 age division and the Debs in the 16-19 division, where Olampo and Collins play. Teams begin arriving July 24, according to the Dixie Softball organization's official schedule.
Starkey Ranch District Park features lighted multi-purpose fields and dedicated softball diamonds. Updated brackets and game times will be posted at wpgfsa.com once the tournament begins.
More Than a Trophy for Olampo
For Olampo, the week is about more than a trophy.
"We have sisters on the field that aren't even sisters," she said. "We created that bond."
Event Details
- Where: Starkey Ranch District Park, 11880 Lake Blanche Ave., Odessa
- When: Teams arrive July 24; tournament runs July 25-28
- Divisions: Belles compete in the 13-15 age group; Debs, including Olampo and Collins, compete in the 16-19 age group
- Teams: 10 states represented
- Schedule updates: Brackets and game times will be posted at wpgfsa.com once the tournament begins
