Brakettes forming 18U team
The Stratford Brakettes are expanding their program to include an elite junior competitive fastpitch softball team for the 2019 season, General Manager Bob Baird announced.
“We are not starting this as a showcase team, which has popularized the 18under softball ranks for nearly two decades. Rather, we are looking for talented young players who are serious about playing competitive softball who may have already committed to play at a college or who will be completing their freshmen year in college and who are looking to play and are still within the age requirements,” added Baird.
The team will be known as the “Junior Brakettes” and play a 25-30 game schedule. They will partici- pate in three or four invitational tournaments, including those at the 23U and Open levels. The Junior Brakettes will complete the 2019 season by playing in the 11th annual Women’s Major Softball National Championship tournament at DeLuca Field, August 1-4.
Mary Sciglimpaglia, who was a catcher for the 201516 WMS champion Brakettes, will be the team’s head coach. Sciglimpaglia was a standout player at Norwalk High School and St. Joseph’s College in Hartford. She will be assisted by her father Rob Sciglimpaglia, a softball veteran as well.
“This will offer many talented young players the opportunity to continue playing,” said Stratford Brakettes Manager John Stratton, who recently guided the team to its eighth WMS championship in 10 years. “The majority of 18-under teams now are strictly showcase teams. For players who prefer not to go that route again, this will provide them with an alternative. It is not our goal to raid existing showcase teams to complete our roster, but to provide additional opportunities for players. Many players don’t want to play showcase once they have made a college commitment.”
The Junior Brakettes will conduct a tryout session on Saturday, Sept. 1 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. Candidates are asked to contact Mary Sciglimpaglia at (203) 505-4907 or via email, maryscig22@yahoo.com for additional information. They may also contact Baird at brakettesgm@gmail.com.