Keeping young girls interested in positive endeavors and giving them an outlet to hone their competitive urges are two things a new Bayonne sports team has been created to satisfy. Starting this spring, Bayonne will have its first fast-pitch softball travel team for girls from 9 to 17 years old, according to Bayonne Fury president Washington Flores.
The girls will play in the UGALS (United Girls Athletic League Suburbia) league and compete against teams from across northern New Jersey.
“We want to give those girls an opportunity to go out and showcase their skills.” – Washington Flores
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While Bayonne has had a strong Little League and other sports teams for decades, this new squad will take play a bit further.
“This is a little more competitive than Little League,” Flores said. “We’ll be facing competitive teams in different cities and counties.”
In addition to Hudson, those teams will include entries from Bergen, Essex, and Passaic counties.
The Fury will travel to those areas, or their opponents will visit Bayonne to play.
The competition level will be high, according to Flores, because each of four age brackets, 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, and 17 and under, will include several divisions and several teams in each division.
Flores said he and a group formed the team after input from many others seeking an additional forum for their daughters to further refine their softball skills.
“Seeing the talent here in Bayonne and speaking with parents in the league, they just want their kids to play at a more competitive level,” he said.
Working with Flores are Jason Martin, vice president; Matthew Mayer, treasurer; Manny Barrios, secretary; and Donna Nunez, administrator.
The travel league schedule also adds length to a season which generally ends late spring and then doesn’t reconvene until the following year.
Flores and his associates believe that Bayonne has the talent pool for the fledgling team.
Girls softball teams here have won the district championship and participated in sectional tourneys, he said.
That talent pool includes at least 120 girls between two divisions in Little League and a Recreational Department league.
“We want to give those girls an opportunity to go out and showcase their skills,” Flores said.
In the past, some of those girls have played for other travel teams in Carteret and Staten Island and have even had to be driven down to the Jersey Shore for practices.
This new squad will give local girls a chance to play and practice locally.
The Bayonne team will be financed through player registration fees, fundraisers, and in the future, hopefully, business sponsorships.
“It keeps girls off the street and keeps them doing something constructive,” Flores said. “It’s less time that they’re spending idly and getting into trouble. And that goes for all kids.”
Flores said the team and league play teach the girls to work hard toward a goal, instilling a work ethic. The nature of the league’s fast play doesn’t allow them to lose focus.
Part of the community
Not only will the girls benefit from playing a sport, they also become a bigger part of the community.
The team recently aided Grace Lutheran Church in Bayonne and its Helping Hands music program, of which two of the girls are members. Players decided to participate, donating, cooking, and serving food at a benefit dinner for the program.
“Our biggest thing is we want this organization to be a part of the community,” Flores said. “We want to give back. It’s not just about softball.”
For more information
The Bayonne Fury will eventually field four age-group teams, with about 12 to 13 players on each unit.
The team has already begun seeking players. On Saturday, Jan. 17 there will tryouts for the 16 and under squad at the Bayonne High School main gymnasium. Registration is at 4 p.m. and workouts will begin promptly at 4:30 and last until about 6:30.
For more information about the team, contact Flores at (201) 779-5803 or wflores@bayonnefurysoftball.com.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.