HTRBA banking on home field advantage
The last time HTRBA Little League hosted the District 12 Tournament, the home team came away with the district championship.
With the event back at the famed Van Horn Park, HTRBA is once again feeling confident about the team it will put on the diamond.
“We got a couple kids with older brothers who did win it in 2019,” coach Jeff Prosdocimo said. “They see the banners that are up here and it makes them want it a little bit more. They did well as 11s and I think they want to bring it home as 12s”
Prosdocimo knows that won’t be easy against five other team that are hungry to do the same thing. HTRBA opens its tournament on Saturday against Robbinsville, with the winner facing Lawrence on Sunday. The team that captures D12 title advances to the Section 3 Tournament at Freehold Twp. Little League.
“It’s chess not checkers here,” Prosdocimo said. “You never know who can get got. If they play to the best of their abilities, good things will happen. There are a lot of good teams out here. We’re one of the only districts where we have to go through our own town. It’s not just a home-field advantage, they are playing against friends.”
HTRBA is a tight-nit group that looks strong on defense, always a key to winning a tournament like this.
“They’ve been together for a long time, they work very hard and they feed off one another,” Prosdocimo said. “They are putting in the extra effort to do their absolute best.”
HTRBA’s biggest key will be keeping its composure in pressure situations.
“If we stay and cheer for one another because the big thing is always cheer for your own team and not against the other team,” Prosdocimo said. “If we stay composed and do what we’re supposed to do good things will happen.”