August 9th
Suburban

Sayreville-based softball program continues to expand its numbers

BY WARREN RAPPLEYEA Correspondent

Heading into its fourth year, the Raritan Bay Explosion softball program has grown to include four teams and director Jennifer Barreiro is expecting to add a fifth for the upcoming fall season.

The Sayreville-based Explosion now has teams at 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U. A second 12U team is in the works. There are currently 48 girls playing in the organization and the new team will up that number to about 60 girls, according to Barreiro.

The 8U team, which began playing this year, included mainly girls from the Sayreville AA recreation program. The team competed in a league based in Cranford, where they finished third. They also participated in several tournaments. Among the highlights of their season was the team’s triumph at the Toms River Tornadoes Tournament.


Barreiro said that the 10U squad also had a strong summer, which included taking the championship at the School’s Out Tournament in Sparta in June. The Explosion’s 12U team had a competitive season and their tournament itinerary included a trip to Maryland. One of the highlights for the 14U team was a recent trip to a tournament at the Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. “The program is really coming along,” Barreiro said. “Last year we had two teams. Now we’re up to four and we hope to continue growing. Girls are getting interested in playing softball again.”

The director noted that the Explosion works to teach its players more than just softball. One of its aims is to give back to the community. The organization held a “friendly” tournament that helped raise more than $3,000 for the Coach Jen’s Relay for Life in South River for the American Cancer Society. Donations from parents and local residents raised the total to $6,100.

Barreiro, who currently coaches the 12U team, said the Explosion will be holding tryouts for the fall and spring seasons beginning on Aug. 11 for the 8U team. Tryouts for the other teams will be held Aug. 12, as well as Aug. 18-19, at the Sayreville AAA complex off Lincoln Ave. in the Morgan section of the borough.

For times and additional information, visit the Explosion’s website at www.leaguelineup.com/raritanbayexplosion or send an email to explosionball@aol.com.