THE OFFICIAL HOME OF
THE LI PRIDE FASTPITCH
Long Island Pride Fastpitch Monthly Newsletter
First Edition - January 2025
Message from President Eric Martinez
Hey Pride Family,
I couldn’t be more excited to kick off our first edition of the Long Island Pride Fastpitch Monthly Newsletter! This is our way of keeping you all updated on everything happening within our program including our training, accomplishments, events, and most importantly, our athletes and coaches.
Since stepping into my role as President, my goal has been clear: to build a program that prioritizes quality over quantity, where every player and coach truly buys into what it means to be a part of the Pride. We are not just another Long Island travel organization; we are a select group of elite athletes and dedicated coaches who commit to the highest level of training, preparation, and competition.
Being a Pride player is a privilege, and it takes more than just showing up. It takes discipline, effort, and an unwavering attitude. I expect our players to push themselves every day, not because they have to, but because they want to. And just as I demand this from our athletes, I expect the same from my coaching staff. Every coach on this staff is here because they share the same drive, passion, and commitment to excellence. I can confidently say that The Pride has the BEST coaching and Training Staff in the area.
We are building something special here, and I couldn’t be prouder of the hard work being put in across the organization. The Pride isn’t about growing numbers, we are about growing the caliber of athletes we develop. If you’re in this program, you are here because you’ve earned it.
I look forward to keep you all up to date on the incredible progressions we continue to make and I thank you all for your unwavering support!
Let’s keep working. Go Pride!
Eric Martinez
President, LI Pride Fastpitch
Winter Training in Full Swing!
Our athletes are grinding through winter training, putting in four days a week of elite-level development.
Here’s a look at what’s been happening:
Defensive Training with Coach Damian Cotto & Coach Bill Edwards
Fine-tuning precision, fundamentals, and high-level defensive strategies.
Two-Day Hitting Program with Coach Chris Aigotti
Focusing on bat speed, power, and maximizing offensive potential.
Speed & Strength Training at Parisi Speed School
Improving agility, athleticism, and overall performance.
Pitching & Catching Development with Shari Edwards & Coach Liv Verderosa
Weekly bullpens and clinics to sharpen mechanics and game awareness.
NEW THIS MONTH
Coach Damian Cotto has launched “Training Tip Tuesdays”
on social media to share weekly insights and drills.
Stay tuned for his upcoming YouTube channel featuring exclusive training content! IG: coach.dcotto
Pride Athletes in the Spotlight
Our players are getting noticed for their dedication and progress:
Parisi Speed School instructors have been blown away by our athletes’ work ethic, saying,
“Pride players put their heads down and grind every time they step onto the turf.”
Coach Bill Edwards recognizes the growth happening across all teams, sharing,
“Pride athletes are showing great improvement—
credit to strong leadership, player selection, and training philosophies.”
The work being put in now is setting the foundation
for big things to come this season!
A huge congratulations to our seniors who have committed to playing at the collegiate level:
FAITH WAGNER
ADELPHI UNIVERSITY
MARCELLA POLVERE
ADELPHI UNIVERSITY
NINA DAVIDSON
URSINUS COLLEGE
OLIVIA JENKINS
CLARK ATLANTA
PRESLEY BORNE
COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND
We are so proud of these athletes for all their hard work and PAVING THE WAY FOR OUR FUTURE PRIDE COLLEGE RECRUITS.
can’t wait to see them shine at the next leveL.
Fundraising Success & Gratitude
Our 50/50 fundraiser was a huge success, and we are grateful to everyone who participated. Special shoutouts to:
Grand Prize Winner:
Aunt Dee (12U athlete’s aunt)
Donated a portion of her winnings to sponsor custom jerseys for our Pride 12U team! what a class act.
Thank you Aunt Dee and Congratulations!!
Top Individual Contributor:
Abigail Abbatiello
Abby Earned a brand-new Louisville Slugger Kryo bat for her outstanding fundraising efforts!
Top Team Contributor:
18U National Team
Earned custom jerseys as a reward for leading the team fundraising efforts!
Check out the new Threads by 3N2
Thank you all for your dedication and generosity—this fundraiser directly supports our athletes and their training!
Media Day
A Special Thank You to
Legends Sports Photography!
We want to extend a huge thank you to Legends Sports Photography for hosting Pride’s first-ever in-studio media day back in December.
The experience was not only a fun and exciting team bonding event, but the photos turned out absolutely incredible!
We appreciate their professionalism and dedication in capturing the spirit and energy of our athletes.
JOIN
THE
PRIDE
FAMILY
If you’re an athlete who lives and breathes this game, who wants to train at the highest level, and who refuses to settle for anything less than your best, then Pride may be the place for you.
We’re not looking for players who just want to wear the jersey—we’re looking for athletes who want to earn it. If that sounds like you, reach out to us at LiPridefastpitch@gmail.com to learn more about what it means to be part of Pride.
Or visit any of our team instagrams linked below.
STAY CONNECTED
Make sure to follow us for the latest updates, training highlights, and behind-the-scenes content:
X / Twitter
Our website is CONTINUOUSLY BEING UPDATED!
NOW, YOU ARE able to access:
✅ Recruitable Player Profiles
✅ Coach & Trainer Bios
✅ Enhanced Resources & Info
Looking Ahead
With February on the horizon,
we’re locking in for school ball and upcoming tournaments.
Stay tuned for more updates, exciting news, and ways to support our players!
Thank you for being part of our Pride family—your commitment, support, and dedication are what make this program truly special.
roll Pride!
Eric Martinez
President, Long Island Pride Fastpitch