The Black Widows softball program was started in 2018 by Joe Frostick. He saw the rising popularity of travel softball and decided there has to be a better way. His mission was to do it differently. He provided a family environment where softball players wanted to come to practice, workouts and team activities. It was fun and beneficial to development. Joe Frostick passed away in 2022 from cancer but his legacy lives on. Currently, our softball program is owned by Tyler LeClair, who also owns our baseball program. His goal is to build upon the foundation that Joe left for the Black Widows.

Our mission is to strive to develop young people into successful athletes and leaders with character and a passion for excellence, both in softball and in life. We will do this by focusing on five core principles: individual development, teamwork, sportsmanship and respect, leadership and competition.

INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT

We will develop individual softball skills and knowledge and enable each player to reach their full athletic potential.

We seek to develop players physically, technically, mentally, and emotionally. We emphasize teaching not only proper mechanics, but the mindset and even keel necessary to succeed in a game like softball where patience and perseverance often prevail over passion. No two ballplayers are alike and our coaches tailor their coaching to suit each ballplayer’s natural ability and skill set. As players get older, an increasing focus is given to identifying positions that match a player’s skills and abilities to enable the player to receive position-specific coaching necessary to play at the high school level or beyond. We often utilize external resources to bring specialized knowledge to bear when appropriate.

TEAMWORK

We will stress the importance of teamwork and build strong, lasting bonds among teammates — Black Widows win and lose as a team.

Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision and to direct individual accomplishments toward   team goals and objectives. That individual achievement is always subordinate to achievement of team goals and is a fundamental tenet of team sports; a tenet that is uniquely reinforced by softball in its recognition of the “sacrifice.”  Teamwork remains a core fundamental for every successful team and is the baseline for all planning and preparation. We strive to teach teamwork in all elements of the game and stress that each player on the team and each position in the field have a role in achieving team success.  But teamwork is not just about execution–part of teamwork is supporting your teammates and picking them up when they have an off day or make a mistake.  We fundamentally believe that players only reach their full potential when teammates are both well-drilled in their roles and softball skills and are encouraging and supporting of each other.

SPORTSMANSHIP

We will build character,and teach respect for the game of softball.

Sportsmanship and respect are at the center of all of our softball related activities. We believe in aggressively playing the game but will never compromise our core values for the sake of winning. Poor sportsmanship by players, coaches or parents will NOT be tolerated. We always show respect to our team and our teammates, to opposing teams and to umpires. By doing so we show our respect for the game of softball.

LEADERSHIP

We will develop young athletes into leaders on their team and in their community.

Leadership is the ability to influence and motivate others to accomplish the mission.  We believe in instilling qualities in our players that help them succeed not only on the ball field, but in their community.  We choose to lead by example and never allow the intensity of the game diminish that standard.  Leadership is closely tied to sportsmanship and respect—respecting and acknowledging the contributions, skills, and accomplishments that each person brings to the table motivates them to push themselves even further.  Building character and leadership traits in our players not only maximizes our success on the field but in life, long after our playing days are over.

COMPETITION  

We will provide the opportunity for players to compete at the highest levels of youth softball.

Competition is the fuel that drives athletes and sports, but “competing” is not a one dimensional concept. Being competitive means winning softball games, but also means giving maximum effort while applying the skills and knowledge taught by the coaches and drilled in practice. Win/loss records and individual and team statistics are the yardstick by which individual and team progress are measured and are critical to the competitive experience but their importance must be balanced with other objectives, such as individual development and respect for the game.