WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. June 1, 2004: Here they come from all over the U.S.A. from California, Georgia, Illinois, Colorado, Tennessee, New York and New Jersey to bring fast pitch softball to the major league level, they’re the New York New Jersey Juggernaut and they open the first National Pro Fastpitch season this evening in Upper Montclair, New Jersey against their natural rival, the New England Riptide.
Yogi Berra, Yankee great and Montclair resident will throw out the first ball at 7:35 P.M at brand-new Montclair State University Softball Stadium. WPCNR caught up with Nauts’ star pitcher, Kaci Clark, formerly of the Stratford Brakettes last Thursday night at a Nauts’ workout.
KACI CLARK, bubbly righthanderette windmiller of the NY-NJ Juggernaut, as the Nauts work out at Montclair State Softball Stadium last week. Tickets are still available at the gate for tonight’s opener. The Nauts host New England Wednesday evening and Thursday evenings at 7:35. Photo by WPCNR Sports
Clark, who lead the Stratford Brakettes to two National ASA Championships the last two years teams with Michelle Smith, the renowned 2-time Gold Medal Olympian right hander, said the Nauts have been jelling together as a team the last two weeks, working out 7 hours a day, doing conditioning drills, and working together offensively and defensively under Manager Linda Derk.
“We have an incredible mix of talent,” Kaci told the CitizeNetReporter. “I’m glad to be a part of it.”
She anticipates a high level of competitive play among the six teams in the National Pro Fastpitch league that opens play in two other cities tonight. “It will be a question of what teams come together and depth.”
Clark has spent the last seven months in Australia playing exhibitions, participating in clinics, promoting fastpitch, and working with the Australia national team. Asked if she missed the Brakettes, the national ASA Champions, she pointed out that three other Brakettes are members of her new team, Kellie Wilkerson, the firstbaser, Germaine Fairchild, the catcher, and Jen Smith, the leftfielder.
“We’re trying to pack two months work into two weeks,” Clark said, describing the two-a-day workouts.
All Fast Pitch All the Time and Loving It.
Lisa Iancin, the second baseperson, from Covina, California, said the Juggernaut experience has been great, “because we’re trying to build a franchise.” She has been appearing in the Montclair area, promoting the team, building bridges to local businesses, speaking at youth organizations and introducing the Juggernaut to the community.
California Girl Likes the Juggernaut Way: Formerly a star with the University of California, Berkeley, Iancin, (center, at the Nauts’ February News Conference), who played in Italy last year, said the professional Juggernaut experience is total immersion in fastpitch. “In college, you’d spend 50% of your time on academics, and the other half on softball. Now, I’m concentrating all of my time on softball. I’ve never been at such a high level. I have never had the opportunity to put so much effort and time into the game. I feel myself developing more every day. I now consider softball as my prime occupation and myself a professional athlete.” To the left is Erika Hanson, Naut First Sacker, and Sarah Hershman, 2ndBaser and Outfielder, right. Iancin, at the news conference in February, said, “I’m really more interested in playing than with my salary. $1 or $1 Million, I’m excited I’m going to be playing softball with the best competition I’ve ever played with in my life.” Hershman said “It’s awe-inspiring to keep playing and to have the opportunity to make money playing softball. I’m so nervous.”Photo by WPCNR Sports
Iancin is looking forward to playing the Riptide, and competing against a former member of her Cal team, Amy Kyler and Shauna Briggs on the Sunbirds. She expects the California Sacremento Sunbirds to be the Juggernaut number one competition in the league.
The Nauts Lossen up: The Juggernauts beat the Allentown Patriots in Pennsylvania Saturday evening, 14-0, in a tuneup, with Clark going four innings, allowing two hits. Shortstop Lindsey Klein of UCLA, drove in 3 runs with 3 for 5 at the plate. Lindsey Collins of the University of Arizona and left fielder Gina Oaks of California State Fullerton both contributed 3 RBIs with 2 for 3 nights for the Nauts. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
The New England Riptide, coached by 1996 and 2000 USA Olympic Softball Champions coach, Ralphy Raymond are lead by former Brakette Sara Jewett and thirdbaser Rachel McGuinnis of UMass.
Grassroots Game and A TV Contract.
Paul Plemenos, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Juggernaut, was seeing to last minute details with his staff up in the press box and took time to chat with the CitizeNetReporter. He said tonight’s opening game had sold out its reserved seats, and said the team had developed amazing support around the Montclair area.
THE JUGGERNAUT LINEUP: Owner Paul Plemenos, left, introducing President & General Manager, Rick Perroty; Head Coach & Vice President of Fastpitch Operations, Linda Derk, Erica Hanson, Lisa Iancin, and Sarah Hershman, at the team mid-February News Conference at the Yogi Berra Museum. Photo by WPCNR Sports
Plemenos reported last week that the team has signed a contract with the YES Network to televise four games, and now there is interest on the part of the National Public Radio Network WDHA and local station WMTR. He announced that Harley Davidson has signed on as a sponsor of the team. (Tonight fans will have a chance to win a Harley in an ingame promotion.)
He said the community has been very supportive and that his team’s “aggressive grassroots campaign” with clinics, instruction and endless public appearances in the area has generated good advance season ticket sales.
As for the rest of the league, Plemenos said he “conference calls” with the other five team owners once a week, and that the league was working together to promote the success of fastpitch. The Juggernaut will be playing the New England Riptide, the Arizona (Tucson) Heat, the Akron Racers, the Sacremento Sunbirds and the Texas Thunder playing out of Houston, in a 60-game schedule. Plemenos said in the news conference in February that the league plans to expand to 10 teams in 2005. (For more info on the Pro Fast Pitch teams, go to www.profastpitch.com.)
He said he expected fans to like the action they will see because he describes the 6 teams as being made up of the 96 best fastpitch players in the country. In his introductory news conference in February, Plemenos said he felt the new league would tap into the hidden fastpitch explosion. He said there were 1,300 colleges playing softball. He said 70% of softball players are between 12 and 34 years of age, and between ages 6 and 17, 80% are girls. He noted the unprecedented growth of girls fastpitch softball over the last ten years.
It is Plemenos’ business plan to draw 1,000 fans a night to the Stadium. He said The Nauts would hold many theme nights, such as Law Enforcement Night, and lots of giveaways. In February, he said, “I have no intention of losing money. I never enter into any opportunity with the intention of losing money.”
Asked in February about salaries, Plemenos said salaries were confidential with some stars being paid considerably more than other players for their promotional value. He said there was no salary gap.
Major League Baseball a No-Show So Far, Except for the Red Sox Who Show How to Promote the New Girls in New England.
WPCNR has found that National Fast Pitch could be debuting with more fanfare if their buddy, Major League Baseball was working harder for them.
The Juggernaut, the Riptide and the other NPF clubs are officially a National Development Partner of Major League Baseball. However, you would never know that except for the MLB logo on the team literature and websites, and the Boston Red Sox.
Major League Baseball, according to an MLB spokesperson at MLB headquarters in Manhattan, (contacted by WPCNR) is helping the National Pro Fastpitch teams with introductions to sponsors.
Some major league teams, most notably the Red Sox have sponsored clinics where NPF members last summer conducted fastpitch instruction at Major League ballparks, most recently on Friday night just before the Riptide open their season this evening.
Over the weekend, the Red Sox showed major league baseball how to promote a new game in town.
The Riptide were guests of the “Saux” and were introduced on the field before the Seattle Mariners game, They conducted another clinic for 75 young softball players, were given a tour of the ball park and stayed to watch the game. Over 30,000 diehard Saux Fans were made known of the Riptide presence in New England.
Sponsors But No Jing.
The spokesperson at the Major League baseball Public Relations office said MLB does not aid the NPF with money, but encourages local major league teams to get involved with the local NPF teams in their area.
Major League Baseball is a sponsor of National Pro Fastpitch, however, unlike the National Basketball Association which promotes the WNBA steadfastly with NBA tie-ins, and a national television contract, you would never know that Major League Baseball was that interested in helping National Pro Fast Pitch succeed.
In fact, a national College Softball World Series came was cut off by ESPN at 8 P.M. Sunday night, to show a meaningless Major League baseball game. Some ESPN executive made a very stupid decision there.
Just Not Showing Up.
When the Stratford Brakettes played the NPF All-Stars in Lowell, Massachussetts last July, Major League Baseball did not even have a booth at the arcade leading to the stadium. There was not a representative from MLB on hand at the Lowell ballpark (with 1,300 fans on hand) to lend a “big league atmosphere,” and no baseball stars participated in the festivities.
When WPCNR contacted the New York Mets last week to ask if they planned some joint promotions to showcase the Juggernaut, neither Jay Horowitz’ pubic relations office, nor their marketing department at Shea Stadium knew who the New York-New Jersey Juggernaut was. Consequently, no promotions are planned by the Mets as yet.
Bombers Making an Effort.
To their credit, the New York Yankees appear to be taking more than a passive interest in the Juggernaut.
The New York Yankees public relations office did not return calls with further information on whether or not they planned a promotion with the Juggernaut. However, Jennifer Carlo of the Nauts Public Relations Staff said the Nauts are working with the Yankees on an appearance by Alex Rodriguez at a Nauts game.
The YES Network has not readied material yet on the Juggernaut YES telecasts, but that is being worked on, according to a spokesman in the YES Network P.R. Department.
Ms. Carlo said the Nauts are not supposed to contact the major league teams, that it is up to the individual major league teams to work out their level of support for the National Pro Fastpitch teams.
Obviously, a strong letter from the Commissioner’s Office of Major League baseball is needed to give the major league clubs a swift kick in the knickers.
Major League Baseball once more is missing a major opportunity to score points with fans, by showcasing the Fastpitch game in an aggressive manner before the start of the season.
Ms. Carlo said the San Francisco Giants are making a very strong effort to promote the California Sunbirds on the West Coast, but, in this reporter’s opinion, Major League Baseball needs to do better.
Gametime tonight is at 7:35 P.M. There are still tickets available as of the end of last week available, but only at the gate. For more information, go to the Juggernaut website at www.nynjjuggernaut.com.
The Juggernaut Home Field in Upper Montclair: Shown in Feburary, the park has articificial turf that looks very real, as well as an active train track along the rightfield foul line. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
From White Plains or Westchester, take the Tappan Zee Bridge to the Garden State Parkway. Take Garden State Parkway South to Route 3 West. Take Route 3 West and merge to Route 46 West and stay in the right lane. Take the first exit on Route 46-Valley Road. (The exit is immediately after merge.) Take Valley Road South (first you make a right then an immediate U-turn to get started South on Valley road). Make a right into the Montclair State University entrance just past a Gulf Station. Follow the entrance road past Yogi Berra Museum and NJ Jackals’ Stadium to parking lots on the right above the Softball Stadium. Park in Lot 24 or 25.
For directions from other points, go to the Nauts’ website.
The Stadium Today. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
Michelle Smith’s Juggernaut Road and Home Uniforms.
Photo by WPCNR Sports
The 2004 New York New Jersey Juggernaut Roster
No.2, Lisa Iancin, 2B of Covina, California/ University of California, Berkeley.
No.4, Courtney Scott, C, of Clovis, California/ University of California, Berkeley.
No.7, Erika Hanson, 1B, of Thousand Oaks, California/University of Arizona
No. 9, Kaci Clark, P of Brentwood, Tennessee/UCLA
No 13, Gina Oaks, P/3B of Alta Loma, California/ California State Fullerton
No 20, Kellie Wilkerson, 1B/Of of Duluth, Georgia, Mississippi State University
No 21, Sarah Hershman, 2B/OF of San Diego, California/ San Diego State University
No 22, Venus Taylor, OF, of Quad City, Illinois/Western Illinois University
No. 23, Jaclyn Pasquerella, 3B/C of Bay Shore, NY/Villanova University
No. 24, Lauren Bauer, OF of Santa Ana California/University of Arizona
No. 27, Germaine Fairchild, C/If of Boulder, Colorado/University of Tulsa
No. 32, Michelle Smith, P/1B of Califon, New Jersey/Oklahoma State University
No. 36, Amanda Scott, P of Clovis, California/Fresno State
No. 42, Lindsey Collins-Miller, C Fountain Valley, California, University of Arizona
No. 51, Lyndsey Klein SS Roseville California/UCLA
