The merger, made public this week, involves Energy Athletics taking over several administrative functions for Worcester Union including game scheduling, tryouts, uniforms and equipment, field permitting, accounting, communication and community service logistics
WORCESTER—Two youth sports organizations in the city have joined forces, as the girls’ softball team Worcester Union Athletics has merged with Energy Athletics LLC.
Founded in 2018 by former District 1 City Councilor Sean Rose, Worcester Union provides high-quality and innovative softball programming that combines skill training, conditioning and competitive games and tournaments. The program has 105 girls from Worcester and Worcester County who play on one of nine teams, ranging in age from 10 to 18.
The merger, made public this week, involves Energy Athletics taking over several administrative functions for Worcester Union including game scheduling, tryouts, uniforms and equipment, field permitting, accounting, communication and community service logistics.
The Worcester Union program has done close to 5,000 hours of community service since it began. Players have worked with the elderly, participated in community clean-ups, walked for victims of multiple sclerosis, raised money for sick children to attend summer camp and the program has served as the in-house community service group for Why Me/Sherry’s House, a Worcester organization that helps families dealing with childhood cancer.
Starting with four teams in the beginning, the program has grown significantly over the last six years to as many as nine teams. As the program has grown, so too have the challenges associated with its administration.
“From logistical issues to administrative burdens, we have encountered challenges that have sometimes hindered our ability to provide the best possible experience for our athletes and their families,” wrote Rose, the president and program director of Worcester Union in a message to parents and caregivers this week. “Recognizing the need for improvement, we have carefully considered various options to enhance the administration of Worcester Union Athletics while preserving what makes our program unique.”
Energy Athletics, established in 2017, operates Energy Baseball, a club baseball team in Worcester as well as Rox Softball in Wrentham. The organization boasts a 15,000 square-foot indoor complex for baseball, softball and multi-sport athletic training at 243 Stafford Street. The structure is the largest indoor athletic facility in Worcester for youth sports with four 15×70 foot hitting/pitching tunnels, the latest training equipment, a 60×100 square-foot multi-purpose turf field and a 4,000 square-foot fitness center.
While Energy takes over the administrative side of the Worcester Union program, the brand name, colors and institutional leadership will remain the same.
“I will hold this organization in my heart forever,” said Rose. “I had the opportunity to own an organization with my wife, Maureen, operate it with one of my favorite people on Earth, Meg Mulhern, and have my sister-in-law Liz Ward create a culture that embraces giving back. I got to have my best friends help me get it going, have two of my kids graduate from the organization, have my godchild playing, and still coach my youngest—all while being wrapped with the best families around.”
“I’m so proud of this program and the work we have done with so many young women on the field, in the classroom and helping our community,” added Mulhern.
For Energy, the merger provides a local softball presence in Worcester, in addition to its established baseball program.
“This adds the missing piece to Energy Athletics, although we have always welcomed Worcester Union with open arms since our inception seven years ago. We will now be able to directly oversee girls softball in both our Worcester and Wrentham facilities,” said Ryan Petrone, Energy president. “We look to combine our coaching resources amongst the two programs and provide girls with first-class opportunities for clinics, private training, and increased development at practices throughout the off-season. We could not be more excited to add the Worcester Union softball program to our watch. Meg and Sean have built a fantastic organization and we plan on continuing to progress that forward.”
Kerin Smith, a coach with Worcester Union, will serve as director of program development and Ward will continue to oversee community service initiatives.
The goal will remain the same for the program—developing players into strong, capable, confident young women who strive to become champions in everything they do. Ultimately, the true value of participating on the team is about a lot more than just playing softball.
“By far my favorite thing about being a part of the team was that it’s not just about sports,” said Fiona Frohock, who was part of the Worcester Union program for four years. “The relationships I built during my years playing carried me through the transition to college. I learned that being an athlete isn’t just about who you are on the field. It’s about determination, drive and hard work.”
“My Worcester Union experience has taught me about commitment, sacrifice and leadership,” said Peyton Maloney, a freshman softball player at Worcester State University who is double majoring in psychology and criminal justice. “It has truly given me the confidence I need to reach my personal goals.”
Mike Vigneux is a freelance writer in Worcester with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of municipal government, communications, and public relations. An avid fan of all sports, Mike enjoys telling the stories of local athletes and their teams. He holds two degrees from Clark University, a bachelor of arts in Communication and a master of science in Professional Communication.He can be reached at Mikevigs@gmail.com
