VERO BEACH, Fla. -- As Naomi Ryan displays her power at the plate, other players, including London Studer and Maggie Foxx, watch in awe.

Ryan’s ability to hit line drives all over the field from both sides of the plate shows the progress girls have made on the diamond.

“We’re as strong as the boys, and now we can compete with them,” Ryan said.

Ryan, Studer, and Foxx are among the 67% of the girls participating in the inaugural Girls’ Baseball Elite Development Invitational in Vero Beach, Fla., who play middle school or high school baseball.

The opportunity to play high school baseball makes Studer feel like she has a chance to set an example for younger kids who want to one day be in her shoes.

“It’s definitely like a role model kind of thing for me,” Studer said from the Jackie Robinson Training Complex, where the event is taking place. “I feel like there are little girls that play T-ball or play little rec leagues in their hometowns, and I really want to set an example of what it’s like to go to the next level, and I like being a role model for the little kids.”

Family played a big role in all three players getting into baseball at a young age.

For Ryan, her dad, Gregory Ryan Sr., played collegiately at Virginia State and played in an independent league, while her brother, Gregory Ryan Jr., plays at Longwood University.

Foxx said she had a bat in her hand from the moment when she was born. She also mentioned that she grew up around the game. Her dad, Loren Foxx, coaches baseball. Now, he’s an official scorer for the Boston Red Sox.

The opportunity to be part of the progress girls have made in baseball and to do it with her friends is one that Foxx doesn’t take for granted.

“We’re breaking barriers toward the future of girls baseball,” Foxx said. “It’s also so fun to be out here playing baseball with my friends. It’s also heartwarming to see everybody just doing their thing and getting out there just kicking butt.”

Baseball ran in the family for Studer, ranging from her dad, Scott Studer, to her uncle, Kevin Brenneman. The thought of playing softball never crossed their mind and is viewed as a bad word in the Studer household.

Among the instructors at EDI is Bruce Chen, who pitched 17 years in the big leagues, and Jenny Dalton-Hill, who was on the USA Baseball Women’s National Team. She has also been on the USA Baseball board of directors since 2011 and is an analyst for ESPN.

Dalton-Hill played for the Colorado Silver Bullets in a women’s baseball league and was managed by MLB Hall of Fame pitcher and five-time All-Star Phil Niekro. Dalton-Hill mentioned that Niekro saw a future for women in baseball, but a lack of support and funding brought it to a halt.

Now, with girls starting to play baseball at a younger age, along with support from MLB and USA Baseball, Dalton-Hill hopes to show the girls that the sky's the limit for them in baseball.

“I’m trying to teach them they can be anything they want to be more than anything,” Dalton-Hill said. “Women need to understand that they don’t have to sit in the shadows and just play a supportive role. They can be a head coach, they can be a manager, they can be a general manager, they can be in a front office, they do not have to limit themselves because they are female.”

For Chen, becoming involved with girls’ baseball EDI has been “life-changing.” Chen also mentioned that having four daughters influenced him to become involved as well.

Of the messages that he conveyed to the girls, one was about Jackie Robinson and the courage he displayed to break the color barrier in 1947. Along with the courage they show on the diamond, Chen believes the girls' impact can go beyond baseball.

“We were talking about Jackie Robinson, how he changed the game,” Chen said. “His determination, his perseverance, his integrity, all of these qualities. I told these girls, ‘You girls are also changing this game. You girls are gonna make a big impact. You girls have all these qualities that Jackie Robinson showed in order for him to change the game.’

“Inside them, they have the potential to change the world.”

While change is still a process, MLB and USA Baseball’s support has led to events like girls' baseball EDI. That support hasn’t gone unnoticed and is something Ryan doesn’t take for granted.

“I think it’s amazing,” Ryan said. “It shows that they want us to keep playing baseball and that they’re looking forward to a girl being able to break the barrier.”