Infielder Courtney Liddle looks for a pitch she can hit during a recent NY/NJ Comets game. Liddle was an All-ACC player at Virginia Tech. The Comets have brought professional fastpitch softball to New Jersey. PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA IANCIN LI The NY/NJ Comets have brought professional softball to the Northeast as the newest addition to National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), totaling 16 home games between four venues in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania during their inaugural campaign in 2013.
“I called the commissioner of [NPF], Cheri Kempf, and inquired why the Northeast didn’t have a team and what it would take [to have one],” said part-owner and general manager Michael Neuwirth, a resident of Warren Township who was inspired by witnessing his two daughters meet members of the U.S. Olympic softball team in 2008. “[After] a year-and-ahalf of talking to coaches and trainers, it became very clear to me that there is such a huge softball market, and fans want a team.”
Neuwirth’s brother, Safrir, is also a part-owner of the Comets and serves as the team’s financial officer. He lives in Marlboro and is a partner in the Women’s Physicians and Surgeons practice, which has offices in Freehold, Manalapan, Matawan and Monroe Township.
The Comets officially joined NPF, a four-team professional softball league currently in its 10th year, in mid-February, which left little time before the start of the season and created a necessity to schedule games at four separate ballparks due to limited available dates.
“It was a combination of wanting to play in minor league stadiums, [and] we partnered with minor league baseball teams to some extent,” said Michael Neuwirth, who also noted a desire to reach a broader audience during the Comets’ first season.
The Comets play out of TD Bank Ballpark (Bridgewater), Yogi Berra Stadium (Little Falls), Provident Bank Park Stadium (Pomona, N.Y.) and Cola-Cola Park (Allentown, Pa.). Whether the team remains at these stadiums beyond this year will be determined by interest from each market, according to Neuwirth.
“We found that every market is different, and are trying to figure out what are the better markets,” he said. “My guess is, we’ll probably reduce [the number of stadiums] from four to three, and possibly two. We’ll always be in at least two stadiums.”
The team is coached by Jay Nelson, who is Rutgers University’s softball coach. He was approached by Neuwirth about two months before the start of the season and accepted the job after calling his wife and Rutgers’ athletic director.
“It was a great opportunity for me, and I want to thank Michael for giving me the opportunity,” Nelson said.
The roster is made up of players from the Carolina Diamonds franchise that folded in 2012, players selected in the 2013 NPF College Draft and free-agent signees. Brittney Lindley, a 2012 Rutgers University graduate, was signed on April 30. “At Rutgers, I had a great time playing ball. In my senior year, I knew my softball career was probably coming to an end,” said Lindley, who holds records for career home runs (34) and single season home runs (13 in 2010 and 2011) from her time with the Scarlet Knights.
Lindley became interested in joining NPF and discussed the opportunity with Rutgers assistant coach Ryan McMullen, who played in the league from 2004-06.
“[She] talked about how the pros is becoming more steady, and I decided to look into it,” Lindley said. “When I got the opportunity, I really wanted to extend my career.”
A common sentiment within the Comets organization is the desire to influence young girls in the Northeast area. Just as players like Jennie Finch and Jessica Mendoza touched the lives of Neuwirth’s daughters, there is hope that the current generation of professional softball players can have the same effect on the area’s aspiring athletes.
“This is about youth girls and showing them there are possibilities beyond what they know,” he said. “There’s a pro level in softball. It’s about building female role models. All of these athletes are phenomenal role models.”
Lindley knows the importance that they bring to the area.
“I love the fact that I can be a role model now,” Lindley said. “Softball has given so much to me, and I’ve learned so much. To give back to the sport and to give back to them, I love the fact that I can do that.”
“There are a lot of softball enthusiasts in this area and a lot of young girls that play softball,” said Nelson, who pointed out that longevity is important for the franchise to grow a fan base. “The Comets team is really good about going out and meeting the young girls and talking to them about softball. The young girls look up to them so much, and it will take hold here.”
The Comets are 2-14 through games played on June 29. They hit the road for a four-game series against the Chicago Bandits from July 3-6. Their next home contests will be against the USSSA Pride for four games at Yogi Berra Stadium from July 19-21.
Tickets can be purchased at www.cometsprosoftball.com, or at any home game. Tickets are $12, and they can be used at any of the Comets’ home games, regardless of date or venue. Groups of 20 or more can receive a discounted rate of $10 per ticket.