However, that all changed three years ago, when the Weehawken Recreation department organized a softball league for girls.
"We started out with about 40 or 50 girls on three or four teams a few years ago," said league organizer Chris Verdon. "Now, it's up to 165 girls and 12 teams. It's really grown tremendously. Sure, we still have girls who want to play baseball, but I try to explain to them that it's different in high school, that they have to play softball. And if they want to play later on, they should learn how to play the game now."
Seems like many girls have taken Verdon's word to heart, because the program is growing every year.
"We may have to add even more teams this year," Verdon said.
Verdon said that he started to get girls interested in softball by going to the elementary schools, in particular Roosevelt School (grades 3 through 6), and meeting with the girls.
"The last two years, I went directly to the school and that's where the numbers have come from," Verdon said. "They've decided to stay with the program."
Awards ceremony
There's also been instant success as well. The Weehawken Babe Ruth All-Star softball team, ages 16 and under, have participated in the state level in each of the last two seasons and last year finished as the state runner-up.
"It's a pretty good accomplishment for a program that has only been together for two years," Verdon said.
Last week, the Weehawken Recreation softball league held its awards dinner at the Weehawken Elks. It was the first time that there was an awards dinner strictly for the girls who play softball.
"We do it for baseball and football, so we decided that we should do it for softball as well," Verdon said. "We didn't give out individual awards like we do in baseball, but the champions all got trophies. It's just fair that we honor the girls. It's a solid league now."
The respective league champions, namely Paula's at Rigoletto (10 and under), Elysian Field Properties (12 and under) and Venino and Venino (16 and under), all received trophies from Mayor Richard Turner, who was in attendance for the dinner.
"We're still in the infant stages with this league," Verdon said. "It's one step at a time. But we've made some major strides and you can tell by the number of girls we have playing."
The excitement about softball will only grow this spring, when the league moves to the new Waterfront Recreational Park and the new FieldTurf facility that was built strictly for softball.
"We had some practices there last year, but this will be the first time they will all play there," Verdon said. "I know they're excited. I know the boys from the Cal Ripken baseball league come down and watch the girls and the girls get excited about that."
Jim Hague can be reached via e-mail at either OGSMAR@aol.com or jhague@hudsonreporter.com
Post a Comment