PASCACK VALLEY—A scrappy, stellar 12U club baseball team made up of boys from the Greater Pascack Valley area has a big destination in mind for this summer: Cooperstown.
The Pascack Valley Venom (Grit Venom 12U), a two-time championship-winning club team, is working toward a trip to All Star Village in Cooperstown, N.Y. in August — and the players are asking local businesses to come along for the ride.
“They’re working very hard at improving on the field, and I’ve also been impressed with how motivated they’ve been with their fundraising efforts,” said Elan Ofeck, the Venom’s manager. “Cooperstown is the goal we have been working towards for months already — the boys can almost see it now.”
The team is supported by the Grit/NES training program, which oversees more than 55 local teams at the club, travel and recreation levels. Venom leaders say the year-round model emphasizes not just baseball development, but accountability, teamwork and sportsmanship — and, this year, something else: learning how to build support in the community.
Cooperstown is not a small undertaking. Team officials said the trip and tournament package costs more than $30,000, covering a weeklong stay, team meals, uniforms and events such as opening ceremonies and skills competitions.
“This has been like a ‘Shark Tank’-like experience for our boys and families too,” said Ryan Smith, the team’s president, general manager and founder, in outreach to Pascack Press. “The boys know their goal is beyond getting to Cooperstown. They know that to be successful they also need to find a way to bring our local businesses authentically along the ride with us. This will set them up for future success beyond the diamond and into the classroom and boardrooms that are in their futures.”
Smith, based in Hillsdale, said he spent more than five years in professional baseball as a front office executive and play-by-play broadcaster.
Ofeck, the team’s manager, is from Old Tappan and pitched collegiately at Gettysburg College after graduating from Old Tappan High School in 2023. His Old Tappan High School team won the 2022 Bergen County Tournament Championship; he was a star pitcher. He was also 2022 Third Team All-Bergen County First Baseman.
Fundraising is already underway, with families and players doing everything from lemonade stands and hit-a-thons to raffles and Super Bowl boxes. Team officials said the group is nearing the halfway mark of its $30,000 goal, with more events planned in the months ahead.
Along the way, the team is launching a “Road to Cooperstown” series on social media — spotlighting the players’ journey and highlighting local businesses that choose to support the effort.
Anyone interested in getting involved — whether through sponsorship, event partnerships, social media promotions, banners or other creative collaborations — can reach out to the team through Facebook or Instagram, or email Smith at prryansmith@gmail.com, organizers said.
How to help the Venom get to Cooperstown this August
The Pascack Valley Venom 12U team is raising more than $30,000 for its August 2026 Cooperstown trip. Individuals and businesses can support the effort through sponsorships, event partnerships, promotions, banners, fundraising tables and shared marketing. To learn more, send a message on Facebook or Instagram, or email prryansmith@gmail.com.