Twenty-five years have passed since the 1999 PONY (Protecting Our Nation’s Youth) Fastpitch Softball National Championships in Sterling, Va.
The Freehold Township Tornado went into the championships just looking to represent themselves, the community and the state as well. They did much more than that. Their success was documented in an August 1999 article in the News Transcript.
When the final out was recorded, the Tornado (a 10-and-under team) could boast that they were the national champions.
“We came in unknown,” recalled Steve Eisenstein, who was the head coach of the program, noting they had many talented players. “It was an exciting time.”
The national championship team consisted of Ashley Rampino, Meagan O’Flaherty, Katie DeBlasio, Leigh Elko, Nikki Battaglio, Mia Karides, Gina Anselmi, Kelly McGinnis, Melissa Trace, Jackie Abdalla and Capri Hunt-Catalano.
Eisenstein began the Freehold Township Tornado Softball organization, an elite travel program in 1997 and it eventually evolved into the Central Jersey Tornado program. He ran the program for almost 20 years.
Freehold Township Tornado players and coaches came together to reminisce about the 1999 PONY Softball National Championships. From l-r – Steve Eisenstein, Joanne Battaglia, Leigh Elko, Ashley Rampino, Capri Hunt-Catalano, Tony Catalano, Nicole Battaglia, Melissa Trace, Gina Anselmi, and Bob Rampino.
Photos by Kathy Chang
In future years, there were teams that made it to the semifinals, but the 1999 10U team was the only team that made it and won the national championship.
As his high school reunion approached, Eisenstein had a thought to bring the team together for the 25th anniversary of the national championship game.
“I wanted to see who we could get together,” he said.
In August, Eisenstein and many of the players and coaches got together to catch up and reminisce about what they remembered about that year leading up to the national championship game.
Many of the coaches were the players’ parents including Joanne Battaglia, Tony Catalano, Pam McGinniss and Bob Rampino.
A newspaper article on their win, pins and an old Tornado jersey were on display.
A sign recognizing their 1999 national championship was proudly displayed at the fields they once practiced for a long time. The sign this time helped players and coaches find the location of the get together.
“I remember we were very good … I don’t think we knew how good we were until this tournament,” said Nicole Battaglia, who went by “Nikki” at the time and played short stop. “I don’t really remember anything leading up to the tournament. I do remember, especially the team we played in the finals, I remember how much bigger they were than all of us.”
The national championship game was postponed to the next morning because of the heat.
“So instead of playing under the lights with everybody watching, we ended up playing the next morning in some random field with absolutely nobody there, but our parents,” Battaglia said. “We didn’t care. It didn’t bother us.”
Battaglia, who went on to play softball at Emerson College, now lives in Arlington, Va. Her parents still live in the area.
“Being part of the organization meant a lot to me,” she continued, noting she would draw the Tornado logo on every school notebook. “I played for almost 10 years, all the way up until almost 18. Steve was my coach for a very long time. My mom was a coach for a while as well.”
Battaglia said she was ecstatic when she heard about the idea of getting together.
“I was shocked and a little horrified that it’s been 25 years,” she said, adding she was also anxious and nervous. “I haven’t seen most of these people in at least 20 years, some closer to 25.”
Ashley Rampino, who pitched and played outfield, said she remembers their coaches and parents threw the team a surprise party the night before the championship game.
“It was to celebrate no matter if we won or lost,” she said. “I don’t think we expected to do what we did. It was a lot of fun.”
Rampino, who grew up in Manalapan, played for a few years in the league and played Division 1 softball at Manhattan College. She now lives in Brewster, N.Y. and still plays the game in recreational leagues.
Melissa Trace, who played left field, came to the reunion with her parents. Her father Warren said 1999 “was fun and exciting for the kids and the parents.”
Leigh Elko, who played in the outfield, said being part of the Tornado league was a big part of her childhood and it felt like family. Leading up to the national tournament, Elko remembers traveling to many practices and games.
And like Battaglia, Elko said she “remembers the team that we beat in semi-finals being a lot bigger than us.”
Elko would often travel with Capri Hunt-Catalano, who pitched for the team. They both lived in North Brunswick and she would help Hunt-Catalano, who had a cochlear implant, communicate with umpires and coaches.
“There was a rule that we had to have our jerseys tucked in and because of Capri’s cochlear implant and the wire, she couldn’t,” Elko recalled.
Hunt-Catalano, who still resides in her hometown, is a pitching coach and shares her national championship story every chance she gets to inspire others. She looks to also inspire her two-year-old daughter when she grows up.
“We were not just a team, we were family,” she said.
Elko, who now lives in Plymouth, Pa., said 1999 was a different world without cell phones.
“All outside hours were spent with softball and in person with each other,” she said. “Life was so simple …we looked forward to it.”
