Adult Women’s Softball League a big hit
BY GEORGE ALBANO
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff TOL Fragrance’s Michele Mastrangelo gets to second base first to force out Huddy’s Inn’s Janine Roth, of Colts Neck, during a Monmouth Women’s Softball League game at Laird Field in Colts Neck on Aug. 16.

Bobbie Pirro sometimes can’t believe how far women’s sports have come in the last couple of decades. In fact, she’s even experienced the change firsthand.

"When I was playing softball in college, we had to wash our own uniforms," the Lincroft resident and 1983 UCLA graduate points out. "We even had to share our uniforms with the volleyball team.

"Now, college athletes have sneaker contracts, which I think is great. Women’s sports have changed so much in the last 20 years. It’s great to be a girl right now."

College softball isn’t the only one to feel the tremendous growth in female sports, however. Even local leagues like the Monmouth County Women’s Adult Softball League have felt the effect.

CHRIS KELLY staff TOL Fragrance’s Terry Wol works the mound during her squad’s win over Huddy’s Inn.

"It’s definitely one of the biggest leagues in this area," Pirro, a seven-year veteran of the popular women’s league, said. "And it’s growing."

Pirro has also experienced that transformation firsthand. Not only has she played in the league for the last seven years, but for the last three years has served as president.

"It originally started as a rec league in Fort Monmouth about 15 or 20 years ago," the Brooklyn-born Pirro said. "And originally only employees of Fort Monmouth and soldiers stationed there were allowed to play.

"But then about seven years ago they opened it up to outside teams, and that’s when the league really began to change and grow."

That’s just about the same time Pirro and several other former high school and college softball players like her jumped aboard. Soon the league began expanding.

"We have 10 teams from different towns, and most of them are Monmouth County teams," Pirro noted. "We do have a couple of teams bordering Ocean County. It’s also the only women’s softball league around that plays modified pitch. The only things we don’t allow is the windmill windup and stealing. But you can lead in our league.

"Plus we follow ASA fast-pitch rules. It’s a much more competitive league, so a lot of girls come to play in it. We get a lot of ex-Division I players."

Most of them had one thing in common: They all were looking to get back into softball after years of being away from the sport.

"We get a lot of players who haven’t played since they were in school or college 20 years ago," Pirro said. "But they still got it. Hey, I’m 43 and I’m still playing with these kids. We’ve even got players in our league who are over 50. It’s a nice mix."

The league has one other thing: Moms. Lots of moms, who have never forgotten how to use a bat and glove.

"It’s a good night out for a lot of moms," said Pirro, who coaches her 9-year-old son Sean’s baseball, football and basketball teams. "Dad’s home with the kids, or if it’s a nice night, they all come down to the games and watch us. The rest of the week we cheer for them, so they get to come out and cheer for us."

There are plenty of moms to cheer for, too. Atlantic Seafood is comprised of mostly moms from Lincroft. Brannigan’s, which finished third in the standings this season, is a team of moms from Shrewsbury, most of them over 40. P&A/Huddy’s Inn from Colts Neck, the regular-season champions, are all moms over 35, including Janine Roth, one of the best players and all-around athletes in the league. And Arena Builders is a new team of moms from Holmdel.

But the league isn’t restricted to just moms. Anyone can join. The only requirement is you have to be at least 18 years-old and, of course, be able to handle yourself on a softball field.

"We even get a few girls right out of high school and don’t go on to play in college, but want to still play somewhere," Pirro said. "But some of them find it hard to break into the lineup once they see how these old bags play."

Other players still in college hook up with the league once their season is over.

"Our season goes from May to August and the college season goes to mid-May," Pirro said. "So once their season is over, they come and play with us. We have a couple of players in our league who played softball at Brookdale Community College, which won the national championship."

Pirro, a shortstop and center fielder during her UCLA days, still mans both positions for her current team, The Globe Hotel & Bar of Red Bank, which is also the three-time defending champs. One of her teammates is Tiffany Kenney, a former Monmouth University star pitcher who Pirro calls the "best young player in the league."

Pirro’s team is one of three from Red Bank. The Wall St. Pub is one of the younger teams in the league, while the "Memory Lanes" is a team consisting of local high school coaches.

The Ladies of Essence from Lakewood, the TOL Fragrances of Neptune, and the Jersey Girls from Eatontown round out the 10-team league.

"Next year we’re looking to grow even more," Pirro said. "Other towns are looking to get in, and we could possibly go to 12 teams."

But while the league has been growing steadily for several years now, it really began to change its look after Sept. 11, 2001.

"After 9/11, it became difficult to keep playing at Fort Monmouth because of security reasons. It wasn’t even safe for moms to bring their kids there," Pirro said. "So we had to move out of Fort Monmouth, which actually turned out to be a good thing since we got nicer fields to play on. Before that, we were playing on a patch of grass because we were women. Now we have nice fields in Red Bank and Colts Neck.

"So once we moved out of Fort Monmouth, things began to gradually change. We also started advertising for players, and women who used to play softball and were looking for something to do read about us in the newspaper."

From that, the Monmouth County Women’s Adult Softball League evolved into the popular league it is today.

"It’s really exploded in the last three years; we’ve gotten a lot more talent," Pirro said.

It was also right around the time of 9/11 that Pirro took over as league president.

"I was vice president of the league when we were in Fort Monmouth, but when we left, the president of the league didn’t want to do it anymore. She worked in Fort Monmouth, which was going to be very busy after 9/11.

"Either someone had to take over or the league would fold. So I guess I got it by default."

But Pirro, not one for the spotlight, can’t emphasize enough that she doesn’t do it alone.

"I’ve had a great vice president the last few years, Michelle Steinert, who plays for the Jersey Girls, and this year we added another vice president, Amber Mocci, who plays for the Walt St. Pub. They’ve both been a big help.

"Plus all the team coaches and captains are involved. The league pretty much runs itself."

The league plays games every Sunday in May and June, and on Mondays in July and August with Sundays used for rainouts.

"I’m real proud of our league," Pirro concluded. "Outside of current high school and college softball players, probably some of the best players in the (area) play in our league."

And like women’s sports the last 20 years, the Monmouth County Women’s Adult Softball League has come a long way.