Coach the Coaches: PRAA Hosts Softball Pitching CliniC

On Saturday, April 27th,  PRAA hosted a softball pitching clinic for coaches to learn the fundamentals of pitching. Led by Allison Sharkey and organized by Rob DiUbaldo, this was not just any clinic - it required the coaches to learn by doing! It is our hope to continue to  equip our coaches with the necessary tools to develop our Owls! We hope this is the first of many Coach the Coaches clinics. 

Investing in Our Facilities…

This spring, we invested in upgrades at Colony Field to enhance the experience and safety of our athletes. Most noticeably we added canopies to each dugout to create a dugout experience for our players and provide cover from the rain and sun. Additional improvements included:

• Added a door, additional wall, and new net to the batting cage
• Resurfaced the batters boxes at both Colony Fields using baseball-grade clay to improve footing
• Rebuilt the pitchers mound with clay to improve pitching experience
• Performed some much need repairs to the area behind the softball backstop which included building stairs 
• Rebuilt damaged left field fence

The spring sports season is in full swing - literally! We hope everyone is enjoying the great spring weather and having an exciting softball and baseball season. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Commissioners, Coaches,  volunteers and sponsors across all of our PRAA programs. The success of our Programs and experiences of our young Owl athletes is a direct result of your dedication and commitment to the PRAA.  It has a been a busy five months for PRAA, with the Board committed to enhancing the experience of our participants, families, and community. We will remain committed to reinvesting in our athletes and programs - which includes more opportunities to play, uniforms, and equipment. The Board is proud to publish this update highlighting the organization’s recent initiatives and activities! Go Owls!

Investing in Our Owls and Community…

On May 5th, in collaboration with Park Ridge 7th Grader Leah Glucksman and her family, PRAA hosted the Inaugural Sports Gear Swap. PRAA families stopped by the Community Room to donate the sports gear that their children were no longer using. Leah and her team organized all of the gear and set up a shop, giving the community an opportunity  to pick out items from the inventory. Not only did Owls get to help Owls, but all of the left over the items were donated to the Bronx House. The Bronx House is a community center that offers educational, health and recreational programming. We hope this is the first of many PRAA Gear Swaps! Thanks to all that participated. 

The Harlem Wizards ROCKED Park Ridge!

On Thursday, May 9th, PRAA was treated to the high-flying action of the World Famous Harlem Wizards. Over 400 people were in attendance to catch the Wizards take on a team of Park Ridge All-Stars - including Coaches, Teachers, and Parents in a closely contested matchup.  It was a night full of dancing, singing, and of course basketball. Thank you to all of the families that attended the event, the Park Ridge All-Stars for playing and all of the volunteers that helped make this night possible. 

The Annual PRAA Parade

In true PRAA tradition, we kicked off the spring season with the annual Softball and Baseball Parade. The Board set out to make this bigger and better than ever! We had the PRHS Marching Band lead our Owls along the parade route. We honored the 2023-2024 State Champion Girls Basketball Team, the 1999 NJ State Sectional Champion PRHS Softball Team, and our own Ironmen and Ironwomen. And we cannot forget the ceremonial first pitches by Hailey Gammarati and Luca Giordano.  Providing the sweet treats was long-standing partner Uncle Louis G’s and new friends, Curbside Confections. We hope to continue to grow this event each year!

Check out the PKRG-TV Coverage of the PRAA Parade!

Congratulations

We want to recognize two teams from our Winter Basketball and Indoor Soccer Season. 

3/4 Girls Indoor Soccer Team - 3/4B NVSP Travel League Harnisch Cup Champions
Coaches:  David Prager and James Dickins
Players:  Aria Reilly, Bridget Prager, Emerson Keenan, Emily Briscoe, Enza Hartoonian, Jadyn Timpone, Jessica Dickins, Katharine MacDonald, and Zara Kaplan

6th Grade Basketball Team - BTBL Travel League - Air Force Flight Back-to back Champions
Coaches:  Mike McGuire and Pete Lucania
Players: Brooklyn Fedzina, Chris Shenloogian, Deegan Reed, Jack McGuire, Jacob Kida, Jameson Lucania, Josh Ramcharan, Matt Capilli, Ridaan Patel, and Tommy Disanza.

NEW HOMEPAGE LAUNCHES

This spring, with our partners at SportsEngine we launched the new parkridgeathletics.com. In addition to modernizing the look of the homepage, our goal was to also enhance the user experience while streamlining some of the backend functionality to assist our Finance Committee. The website will remain the central hub for all things PRAA. Stay on the look out for continued improvements and enhancements.  We are always lookin for pictures of our Owls in action -  which can be submitted here.

Fall Registration

Early Fall registration is currently open! Sign up before May 31st for early registration rates.

Get Involved!

Non-Golfer Volunteers:  If you do not plan on golfing, we are looking for volunteers to assist with various aspects of the upcoming PRAA Golf Outing

Fall Snack Shack: We are also looking for volunteers to help coordinate the Snack Shack during the Football and Cheer seasons. 

If you are interested in getting involved, reach out to director@parkridgeathletics.com