NJ Pride Tryouts In July Provide
Top Opportunity For 10U to 18U

CALDWELL- The setting is Caldwell University’s superb softball field, but the eventual travels for NJ Pride players of all ages can be at a wide variety of top-notch venues throughout not only the state of New Jersey but also at many national tournaments.

It is time for NJ Pride tryouts which will be held on a weekly basis throughout July while providing an excellent opportunity to become part of New Jersey’s longest-running program whose success stretches back four decades and continues to provide a big boost in the ascension of young elementary-level and middle school-age players plus continued improvement for high school students, and certainly as well for those talented individuals who eventually advance into a college program.

The tryouts, for all position players who would like to be part of 10U through 18U teams, will be held 6 p.m., Tuesdays, July 7, 14, 21 and 28, and also Wednesdays, July 15, 22 and 29, at the Caldwell U diamond located at 3 Ryerson Ave.

“If you want to learn and be recruited, come out to a tryout and get with the skulls!,” said Rob Stern, the longtime NJ Pride present and coach. “We have an amazing group of coaches who teach the game and over the years we have sent 390 players to college.”

Teams such as Pride 18U Stern, Pride 16U National and Pride 14U have all had success on a Northeast and national level, including at showcase events such as the Independence Day Tournament in Boulder and Longmont Colorado, the Easton Rawlings in Chicago and Alliance National in Indianapolis, which are all prime venues for national-level recruiting by college coaches.

As an example of the continued development of current high school players in North Jersey, one can take a look back just two summers ago and know that among next spring’s talented returning scholastic players to watch in 2027 will be several key members of a successful 2024 NJ Pride 14U team such as Kaylan Bartolozzi and Bella Baez of Mount St. Dominic, Siri Krabbe of Montclair, Gabby Ladd at Montclair Kimberley Academy, Jamie Tarrow at Columbia and Sophia Messenger at Cranford.

And, the top colleges stay very much in play for NJ Pride players, including on the recent Division I landscape for Mount St. Dominic’s first team all-state tandem of the now graduated first baseman Jill Cianfrocca (Villanova University bound) and rising senior pitcher Ava Kelshaw (University of Michigan commit).  

“Our goal is to help our players achieve their greatest potential while enjoying the great sport of softball,” said Stern. “We look forward to see interested players of all ages come out to our tryouts and see first-hand the opportunities that are always there in being part of our program.”
For those interested in attending one of the July tryouts at Caldwell U make sure to sign up prior to your tryout at http://www.njpridesoftball.com