Softball On SI

Florida Little League Softball Teammates Form Special Bond Through Shared Experience

Maren Angus-Coombs|
Florida Little League softball players Faith Miller and Brynn Fieser became fast friends when they discovered their moms were breast cancer survivors.
Florida Little League softball players Faith Miller and Brynn Fieser became fast friends when they discovered their moms were breast cancer survivors. | Submitted

Survive.

That's what Lake Mary Little League (Fla.) learned how to do, and it was on display Thursday when it took down Mallard Creek (N.C.) in extra innings by a score of 6-1.

Lake Mary, Fla., is located just outside of Orlando and is home to the 12-and-under team that is playing for a berth to the Little League Softball World Series.

The come-from-behind win secured a spot in the regional championship and has Lake Mary one win away from a trip to Greenville, N.C.

Behind the team's journey to the Southeast Regional Tournament finals is one of resilience that forged an unbreakable bond between Faith Miller and Brynn Fieser, who forged a friendship on and off the field after discovering their mothers survived breast cancer.

That's where their lessons about survival began.

Erica Miller and Jessica Fieser were both diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, surviving COVID and cancer with young children. Faith was seven years old when Erica was diagnosed. Brynn was six.

Both women were in their 30s and found their lumps on their own – no mammograms, no family history.

The meeting between the two women and their families was happenstance.

"Jess and I connected at the fields during a softball game in October," Erica told Softball on SI via text message on Thursday afternoon.

"Our boys were playing baseball against each other, and I heard she had been diagnosed that year as well," Jess added. "Then our girls became best friends on the field. "

The two families, including coaches Brent Fieser and John Miller, bonded at the field over their shared experiences. The sport provided the families with a safe place where the kids could be kids and the husbands could coach and take their minds off the rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.

"Softball brought us all together," Erica said. "We have continued that by being a light for other diagnosed moms at the fields. We have helped at least four other families go through it. All of them BC (breast cancer)."

Now, both girls are thriving on a national stage with their mothers screaming from the stands. Brynn even wants to become an oncologist and specialize in breast cancer surgery to save other mothers.

With treatment in their rearview, Jessica and Erica are enjoying their time in the stands, cheering as loud as they can. Praying that their daughters will reach the LLWS.

"It’s absolutely a beautiful thing to witness your baby living out their dream," Erica said. "My heart is full of gratitude to be in the stands at any of my kids’ games. I cheer loud because I told myself that I fought hard to be in the stands and be their biggest cheerleader in life. It’s a blessing over and over again. Win or lose."

"Exactly what she said," Jessica exclaimed. "It’s a dream come true!"

Lake Mary Little League continues its tournament run against Virginia on Friday at 10 a.m. ET on ESPN.

Published | Modified
Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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