WORCESTER—The Worcester Bravehearts took home three prestigious awards at the Futures League Meetings, held last Thursday, recognizing the team’s outstanding contributions in community partnership, in-game entertainment, and broadcasting.
Among the accolades, the Bravehearts received the “Best Community Partnership” award for their innovative collaboration with the Worcester Red Sox, a unique partnership in baseball that united two teams from the same city for community engagement and youth development. Established in February 2024, the partnership led to various events, including free community baseball clinics at Polar Park, Fitton Field, and local Little League fields in Worcester. The collaboration extended beyond baseball, featuring joint appearances at events like the Woo Sox “Rage in the Cage” and the Bravehearts’ “Jake or Treat” celebration.
“When we met with the WooSox back in February, this was the impact we envisioned in the community,” said Bravehearts Team President Matt Vaccaro in a press release. “We’re looking forward to building on this partnership while continuing to invest in this great city. I’d like to extend a thank you to all of the staff members from both organizations who helped make this partnership possible.”
The Bravehearts also received the “Best In-Game Promotion” award for their “Twister the Tornado” mascot storyline, which brought back the character from the defunct Worcester Tornadoes. Twister, reimagined as a “villain” against the Bravehearts, delighted fans by siding with opposing teams and creating playful chaos. Clark University student Brady Kershaw took on the role of Twister’s manager, adding an element of theatrical trash talk inspired by wrestling. Together with Doherty High graduate Brett Neuman, who portrayed Twister, the duo energized crowds and added a fresh dimension to in-game entertainment.
“On the entertainment side, we took a ton of time studying the art of storytelling in wrestling promotions,” said Bravehearts Assistant General Manager Donny Porcaro in a statement. “Bringing in Brady took this idea to a whole new level. Brady was the heel manager, and just like in wrestling, he would engage with the crowd and try to create a sense of emotion—good or bad.”
The third accolade, “Broadcaster of the Year,” was awarded to Bravehearts broadcaster Jake Klein, a Southborough native and former broadcast producer in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Klein’s work brought both home and away games to life for Bravehearts fans, creating a new listening option through a dedicated Mixlr radio channel. His award marks the second consecutive season that a Bravehearts press box staff member has been recognized, following last year’s “Intern of the Year” honor for Elijah Green, both students at Syracuse University.
“Jake spent more hours at the ballpark than any other non-full-time staff member,” said Bravehearts General Manager Dave Peterson, who is also a Syracuse University graduate. “Jake always came to the ballpark prepared. He arrived around six hours before every game just to collect information for our broadcast.”
“These honors show the true colors of the Bravehearts Family,” said Vaccaro. “It shows the importance of recruiting local talent not only on the field, but also off the field. The staff members we’ve mentioned are from the Central Mass area. I think that’s a big piece of our build. We’re honored to be recognized by the Futures League, and we appreciate all the Bravehearts staff members who helped make this possible.”
News to share? Email Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
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