The 14u eXpress Softball team 2024 (Image courtesy of Elise Baker)
The team draws from Wissahickon and Upper Dublin school districts, as well as surrounding counties
Now in its ninth year, the eXpress Softball team has just begun competitive play. Established in 2016, the sport has given area girls an extra season to enjoy the game they love.
eXpress Softball is an independent organization that works side-by-side with the Ambler Junior Baseball and Softball leagues. The commissioner of eXpress Softball, Elise Baker, is also the vice president of AJB. One of the eXpress 12u assistant coaches, Amy Scharff, is also the commissioner of softball for AJB.
“The two organizations work very closely together,” explained Baker. The league has had players as young as 9 but as old as 18, too. For this current season, Baker said the players are between 11 and 16.
She said that the team got into softball mode this season with a pre-season party!
The eXpress Softball 12u team 2024 (Image courtesy of Elise Baker)“Our 12u team kicked off their season with a backyard party on Sept. 6, hosted by one of the team parents in Ambler,” said Baker “The girls played games, such as cornhole and relay races, then enjoyed a chicken nugget platter and an ice cream sundae bar.”
Other teams opted to get in some game-focused entertainment for a season-opening get-together.
“Our 14u team held their season-opening bash at a nearby batting cage facility, followed by double-scoop ice cream cones,” said Baker.
No matter how they celebrated the start, the parties offered a great chance for the teammates to get to know one another.
“Everyone got to know each other, and shared tons of laughs while making core memories and building excitement for the season,” said Baker.
Games throughout the season are open to the public, and any community member can come out to support the team.
“Anyone can come watch us play, and there is no cost to do so,” said Baker. “We mainly travel locally around Southeast Pennsylvania and South Jersey.”
Schedules and team updates are often shared on the group’s Facebook page here.
The sport, as many do for young players, is supported by the volunteers that make it happen. eXpress Softball relies on dedicated coaches to teach skills, offer support, and organize the team’s players and positions.
The head coach of eXpress 12u this season is Baker, herself, who also serves as the Commissioner of the organization. She is a former collegiate softball player and is a current varsity softball coach in the Central Bucks School District. Additionally, she is a 2019 inductee in the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame.
Coach Baker is assisted by Amy Scharff, who is the current Commissioner of Softball for Ambler Junior Baseball and Softball. She is a former varsity softball coach at Cheltenham High School and is on the board of directors for the Inter-Community Girls Softball League, based in Eastern Montgomery County. She also is the head of both the eXpress Softball Summer Academy and the eXpress Softball Winter Academy.
Rounding out the eXpress 12u coaching staff is Jason Darnell, who has coached in the eXpress organization for five years; four of which as a head coach. He is a former player and was the head varsity baseball coach at Upper Merion Area High School for 14 seasons. During that tenure, Coach Darnell led his team to the only District title in school history.
The head coach of eXpress 14u this season is John Houghton. He is the current head baseball coach at Wissahickon Middle School. He has held that position for over a dozen years and has had much success. His daughter, Reagan, is a member of the eXpress 14u squad. Coach Houghton is assisted by Angel Morales and Chris Cole, both of whose daughters are on the squad, and bring a wealth of coaching experience.
The league’s players also come with their own vast experiences, especially for players so young. The players in the eXpress Softball organization are drawn from all over Southeast Pennsylvania.
“Though the majority of the teams are typically from the Wissahickon and Upper Dublin school districts, players come from Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks counties, and play for many different schools and districts, both public and private,” said Baker. “We take pride in the fact that players from near and far desire to be a part of our club. We love seeing girls get to know each other and learn to gel as a team.”
Each age group-based team typically carries anywhere between ten and 14 players on a roster, Baker explained. And some play multiple seasons in the same year.
“The eXpress Softball players train and play all year long, with a lighter fall schedule to accommodate other sports, then an intensive winter indoor training season from January to April, then a spring/summer traveling/tournament season from April to July/August,” said Baker.
This past weekend, the teams began competing this weekend with both eXpress teams will kicking off the season under the lights in Quakertown, scrimmaging the Pennsylvania Panthers.
Past seasons have been successful for the local team. eXpress 12u even took third place in the Pennsylvania State Championship one year.
“We are not in it so much for wins, but for player development and fostering the love of the game and making core memories,” added Baker. “[Our seasons are] designed for players ages 9 through 18 who wish to experience a level of competition beyond recreational play. eXpress prides itself in offering travel players a positive coaching culture that ignites their skill development.”
This travel team competes throughout a vast geography, as the teams, which themselves hail from several counties around southeastern Pennsylvania have traveled to play teams as far as South Jersey, Maryland and Delaware. Teams have traveled as far as Virginia and Connecticut for Nationals’ end-of-season play.
If you can’t make games to cheer the girls on, volunteers in the league appreciate donations to the team, as well as businesses that partner to sponsor the teams.
“We will definitely be doing some local fundraisers and events this season,” said Baker. “Stay tuned! If any local small businesses would like to purchase a sponsorship, please contact us and we can make sure your business gets seen by our over 500 Facebook followers!”
eXpress Softball aims to teach life lessons, well beyond the basics of the game.
“At eXpress, our mission is to teach new skills, foster a deeper love of the game, and bring out the competitive spirit in youth travel players,” said Baker. “Like all programs, we shoot for the stars and aim for wins—but even more than that, we want our players to remember eXpress as one of their favorite memories of growing up. It’s about family, trust, respect, having fun with each other, and having a passion for the game.”
What may have started as a team to fill a need, eXpress Softball has blossomed into a successful, consistent, and well-attended sport for the local community.
“Originally created to fill the need for an entry level travel team local to Ambler and Whitpain, eXpress has since grown into a popular program welcoming players from all over Montgomery County,” said Baker. “Every coach, every player, and every eXpress family has played a role in our success. We’re more than a club. We’re a softball family—and that’s obvious every time our players take the field.”
Baker said she appreciates all those that make eXpress Softball what it is today.
"I am so proud of the organization we have built in our community. We offer the opportunity to young ladies to grow in the sport that we all love so much,” she said. “Seeing dozens of players in teal and black on fields all over the area, every season, brings me so much joy.”
Baker said that while her child may have grown beyond the years of play, she welcomes the opportunity to bring the same joy she experienced with other parents and daughters in our area.
“Though my own daughter -- who played for eXpress for many seasons -- is now grown up, I still coach in the club,” said Baker. “I cannot thank the parents and coaches enough for their selfless service to eXpress Softball. Together, we have created something very special."
