Gems as ASA Champs, 2003
Bottom row, left to right: Chrissy Gannon, Ally Nemeth, Meghan Sinback, Gabby Vetter
Second row, left to right: Lauren Cognigni, Kim Venella, Maureen Coleman, Laura Dezolt, Serena Pelliteri, Rachel Crossin
Coaches, Left to Right: Tom Dezolt, Mike Sinback, Joe Parell, Les Venella, Sam Pelliteri
Not Pictured: Jamie Parell, Brianne Tobin, Colleen Kegler
The Pennsbury Gems were started by Arthur and Craig Coleman. Art was the
director of the Pennsbury Tournament in addition to being a travel ball coach. Art
passed away in 2001. His son Craig is the retired AD and Softball Coach from
Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh. The travel team was founded in 1976 and has
been known as the Gems since 1981. They entered the ASA State Tournament in
1976, finishing third. The Gems were State Champions and Regional Champions
in 1978 and in 1983 they finished 4th in the nation.
The Pennsbury Gems Gold travel softball team has been competing across the
country for nearly 30 years. The Gems Gold have provided the opportunity for
hundreds of student athletes to be seen in the most prominent showcase
tournaments across the country by hundreds of college coaches at each and every
level. Our program was started in 1995 and focused on providing each and every
young lady with an opportunity to be recruited to a program that offered them a
college education in the major they choose while receiving some scholarship
money to hep defray the cost. We were a “showcase” team.
The 2002 Pennsbury Gems Gold team were the ASA State Champions. In 2003
they were the ASA Eastern National Champions, team members are pictured
above.
The Pennsbury Gems Gold name is now retired, the team continues on as the Pennsbury Gems National Team.