CONNECTICUT BRAKETTES BRING PRO SOFTBALL TO THE STATE

January 1, 2006 - Professional softball debuts in Connecticut in 2006. The Connecticut Brakettes of Stratford are officially a member of the National Pro Fastpitch League that begins its third season of play May 31. Formerly known as the Stratford Brakettes when they dominated the ranks of the Amateur Softball Association for the past 59 years, the Brakettes have taken on a new identity in the nation’s only professional softball league.

"The Brakettes’ rich tradition and illustrious history has extended far beyond the boundaries of Stratford," said Brakettes Softball Chairman/Sponsor David Carpenter of Westport. "Our NPF territorial rights include all of Connecticut. While the Brakettes’ headquarters and hearts will always be in Stratford, we truly are Connecticut’s professional softball team!"

The Connecticut Brakettes are one of seven teams who will compete in the NPF in 2006. They are joined by the defending champion Akron Racers, Arizona Heat, runners-up Chicago Bandits, New England Riptide, Texas Thunder and newcomer Philadelphia Force. NPF teams will play a 48-game schedule starting May 31 with the first of 12 series for each team. The schedule will include seven four-game home series and five four-game road series.

The Connecticut Brakettes will remain a fixture in Stratford, playing its home games at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. The Brakettes have called DeLuca Field home since 1988 when the team moved from Raybestos Memorial Field in the center of town to the south end ballpark.

Each NPF team will host five league members and two international teams. China, Chinese Taipei, Canada, Team Denso (Japan) and the Japanese National Team have all confirmed their intent to participate in the 2006 NPF season. "We have enlisted some of the best teams in the world to visit our stadiums next summer," said Joey Arrietta, Chairperson of the NPF Scheduling Committee. The USA Olympic Team also will make trips to some NPF venues.

The 2006 NPF schedule will be released in mid-January.
Carpenter, who has sponsored the Brakettes since 1996, also said the organization will continue to field an amateur team. "We are proud to announce that we will maintain our long tradition of softball excellence by again sponsoring an amateur team." The amateur club will remain the Stratford Brakettes. They, too, will play at DeLuca Field and compete in the 2006 ASA Women’s Major Championship next August.

Veteran John Stratton is back to pilot the Connecticut Brakettes’ maiden season in National Pro Fastpitch. Stratton enters his 29th year with the organization with a 634-89 record (88%) in 12 years as field manager with four national championships. The field manager for the amateur club will be announced later.

General Manager Bob Baird is back for his 19th year and he will oversee both teams. Stratton and Baird will be charged with filling the pro roster to compete against the top women’s softball players in the world.

One of the stipulations when the Brakettes joined the NPF was that they would retain the rights to the players on their roster. Current Brakettes players with collegiate eligibility beyond 2006 will play for the Stratford Brakettes, while the others will be considered for roster spots on the professional Connecticut Brakettes. "We expect to have several players for the Connecticut Brakettes under contract within the next two weeks. We’re only waiting for the NPF attorney to sign off on the league’s new contract form," said Baird. The remainder of the roster will come from free agents and players selected in the February NPF collegiate draft.

Among the Olympians expected to visit DeLuca Field this summer are the Bandits’ Jennie Finch, Crystl Bustos of the Racers, Amanda Freed and Christa Williams of the Thunder, Natasha Watley of the Force, and Stacey Nuveman of the Heat.

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