Lennox’s Creyton Seykora chasing Little League World Series dream with Sioux Falls 12U All-Stars

Creyton Seykora has been playing baseball since he was five. Now, the 12-year-old Lennox athlete has an opportunity few young players ever experience.

The son of Whitney and Jeremy Seykora of Lennox, Creyton was selected to the Sioux Falls 12U All-Stars and will help represent South Dakota as the team competes in the Little League Midwest Regional in Whitestown, Indiana, beginning Aug. 7. With a regional championship, the team would earn a trip to the Little League Baseball World Series, scheduled for Aug. 19-30 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

“It’s pretty cool,” Creyton said. “I’m just a kid from Lennox that has watched it on TV and knows some of the players on last year’s team. I’ll be able to play against people from all over the country and the world.”

While he primarily catches for his Lennox team, Creyton has taken on different roles with the Sioux Falls Little League All-Stars, spending much of the summer pitching and playing in the outfield.

Earning a spot on the all-star roster wasn’t easy.

With 11 Little League teams in Sioux Falls, players are evaluated throughout the entire season.

“The whole season is a tryout,” Creyton explained. “Coaches watch you at every game and practice. Towards the end of the season, they selected the 12 players from those 11 teams based on season performance.”

When the moment finally came, it was one he didn’t expect.

“I was really surprised when my coach came to my house to tell me I made the team,” he said. “I had just come home from playing with another team in Omaha. There are a lot of really good players in the league. With it being my first year in Sioux Falls Little League, I wasn’t sure I would make it.”

As the team prepares for the Midwest Regional, Creyton is focused less on the spotlight and more on the friendships he has built along the way.

He’s most excited about just playing ball with his team. “I’ve become really good friends with them, and they are all really good ballplayers,” said Creyton. “I’m also excited to meet new people.”

Of course, every player on the roster has one goal in mind — earning a trip to the Little League World Series.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Creyton said. “I’m not going to lie — it’s a lot of pressure, but I have to remember to just keep playing with confidence and have fun.”

That attitude has helped carry him to this point, and it’s the same advice he offers younger players who hope to one day follow in his footsteps.

“I would tell younger kids to work their hardest and push themselves to do their best,” he said. “Don’t let the losses get to you, and have fun.”

For the Seykora family, reaching this stage has required months of dedication and countless hours at the ballpark.

“This summer has been a lot,” said his mother, Whitney Seykora. “He played for both Lennox and Sioux Falls. We were at the ball field four times a week for either practices or games since the end of spring, along with tournaments on the weekends.”

Despite the busy schedule, Whitney said the experience has been unforgettable.

“We have met so many great families and coaches and have had so much support from our family, friends and the community,” she said.

The journey actually began long before the summer season.

Creyton spent the offseason training at Coast 2 Coast in Tea while also balancing basketball practices, tournaments and specialized pitching and catching instruction.

“It seemed like we were always in a gym with little to no downtime,” Whitney said. “He had to be mentally tough. There are a lot of players gunning for these positions, so he had to stay focused and put in the work to prove he was meant to be here.”

As proud as she is of his accomplishments on the field, Whitney is equally proud of what they represent.

“We are so proud of him,” she said. “Not only to represent South Dakota, but to represent Lennox. He is just a 12-year-old kid that wanted to give it his all this summer, and he has done just that. The coaches from both Lennox and Sioux Falls talk very highly of him and the effort he gives on the field.”

Now, with the Midwest Regional just days away, Creyton and his teammates are one step closer to making every Little Leaguer’s dream a reality.

For one young athlete from Lennox, the opportunity to compete on one of baseball’s biggest youth stages is already something he’ll never forget. If the Sioux Falls 12U All-Stars can continue their remarkable run in Indiana, that dream could soon take them all the way to Williamsport.