End seems near for Rookies Fastpitch

ST. PAUL

Softball program couldn’t recruit enough players for a team this season

The St. Paul Rookies 16U Red Team took third place in the Tier 1 State Tournament in July 2019. Stephanie Eberhard, left, coached the team alongside Ron Rice, right. Eberhard played for the Rookies before becoming a coach. “It’s always been a family place to play softball, and just really involves the community around itself too,” Eberhard said. COURTESY OF STEPHANIE EBERHARD

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By Kathryn Kovalenko

kkovalenko@pioneerpress.com

St. Paul Rookies Fastpitch has been offering summer travel league softball for girls from St. Paul and the surrounding area for more than 40 years. But the program is likely ending because of low recruitment numbers over the past few seasons, according to board members Stephanie Eberhard and Jennifer McNattin.

The organization couldn’t put a 2025 team together because only a few players signed up.

“We fought really hard to figure out how to spread the word,” McNattin said. “Numbers have just really plummeted, and we’ve seen a huge decrease because kids are going to clubs or they’re going to the suburbs.”

McNattin said the older fastpitch players get, the more difficult it is to find an affordable softball program. Most recreational leagues only have teams for players ages 14 and under, so high school girls often join more expensive club teams.The Rookies provided an accessible program for St. Paul high school girls. They kept player fees down by fundraising at the annual Rookies Tournament and having families complete volunteer service hours.

“It gives families who are maybe just looking to try the sport out an opportunity that’s a little bit lower stakes than something like an elite club team, which typically costs quite a bit more to play,” Eberhard said.

‘I really fell in love with softball’

Eberhard grew up in Roseville and started playing for the Rookies when she was 15. She said the coaches and program leaders made her feel like a valued part of the community.

“The first summer I played with the Rookies was the year I really fell in love with softball,” Eberhard said. “It felt like I was not only learning the game, but also how to become a better person and how to kind of walk through the world.”

She went on to coach for the Rookies and become a board member and the director for the annual Rookies Tournament.

The 39th annual tournament still happened in June this year, but without a St. Paul Rookies team participating. McNattin said it was likely their last tournament.

Moving forward

The program is considering other options to keep the Rookies alive, such as combining with another local softball organization that doesn’t have a fastpitch program for high school girls. They also thought about turning the program into a place for high school teams to practice together during the summer.

“Neither have come to fruition yet,” Eberhard said. “Most likely it (the program) is ending. I think it would kind of require some pretty dedicated parties to hand it off to and have them continue forward with the organization.”

Both of McNattin’s daughters played for the Rookies, and she said the team connected parents and siblings along with players. She has made lifelong friends from time spent volunteering at Rookies events and watching tournaments.

Eberhard said the team was “just a wonderful community.”

“I really love the Rookies,” Eberhard said. “It’s really sad to see them maybe go.”