How one busy professional still makes time for softball every Sunday

Sharon Montero juggles her day job while also leading multiple adult co-ed softball teams in New Jersey.
Montero's love for softball traces back to childhood, deeply influencing her adult life.
Montero's passion comes with cargo, but her Toyota RAV4 GR SPORT can handle equipment bags, tailgate supplies, and teammates.

For many people, softball league memories are distant but blissful: The camaraderie of teammates, celebratory ice cream, and so much fun in the sunshine. Why did it have to stop?

For Sharon Montero, it never did.

"I always thought that adulthood would be all rainbows and cotton candy — no bills and just relaxing," says Montero, a customer service agent at Newark Airport. "But I'm still living my dream, which is playing softball."

Between her full-time job as a customer service agent at Newark Airport and a handful of side gigs — including voice acting and hosting bingo nights — Montero keeps a busy schedule. But the moments she looks forward to most are the ones spent on a softball field. As captain of multiple co-ed adult softball teams, she plans her week around practices and games, making sure Sundays are always reserved for softball.

"You would think I was making money off of doing it, but I'm not," she says with a laugh. "I'm having fun though."

Why can't having fun be at the center of adult life? It's working pretty well for Montero. She treats fun like any other priority on her calendar and the result is an adulthood filled with purpose, community, and something to look forward to every week.

Here's how a typical Sunday unfolds for Montero.

Packing up

The game takes her all over New Jersey and into New York City, wherever there's a diamond and a team looking to play. Having a car like her 2026 Toyota RAV4 GR SPORT gives her the freedom to pack up her gear, hop behind the wheel, and never miss an opportunity to spend time doing what she loves.

"I can remember the exact moment when I fell in love with softball," she says. "I was 10 years old. My dad took me to Ford's Park, and this softball team was doing tryouts. Once I got that bat in my hand, I never put it down."

As Montero loads her Toyota RAV4 with equipment, she explains how naturally the sport came to her.

"I hit the ball that first day," she says. "Nobody had to teach me. Dominicans are baseball players, so the love of the game was already pumping in my blood."

Person reaches into the open rear cargo area of a red SUV parked along a sidewalk.

1:1 batting practice

By mid-morning, Montero meets up with a coworker who's interested in joining one of her softball leagues but has never even held a bat before. Before introducing her to the rest of the team, Montero wants to make sure she feels comfortable stepping up to the plate.

Montero is as natural a coach as she is a player. She patiently walks her coworker through the fundamentals — how to hold a bat, where to stand in the box, and when to swing — celebrating every solid hit along the way. She says helping someone discover the joy of the game is just as satisfying as playing it herself.

Two people practice batting in an indoor cage, with one demonstrating hand placement on a baseball bat.

Game time at Lincoln Park

By the afternoon, Montero meets her teammates at Lincoln Park, New Jersey, where the field becomes a temporary escape from deadlines, errands, and everything waiting for them on Monday.

Montero loves to compete — just like the rest of her team — but the game is about far more than just the final score. For a few hours, everyone gets to trade their stresses away for friendly competition, inside jokes, and the kind of connection that's harder to come by in adulthood.

"When we phase out hobbies as adults, we miss out on the camaraderie," she says. "If you are in a sports league, that's like your immediate family."

Two people stand on a sunny baseball field, one leaning on a base while another holds a glove nearby.

Kids often develop lifelong friendships through sports, and Montero believes adults deserve that same opportunity. Finding new friends can feel daunting later in life, but every Sunday, her team proves there's still plenty of room to build meaningful friendships.

As first pitch approaches, Montero naturally slips into coach mode. She delivers a pregame pep talk, keeps spirits high from the dugout, and even in the most competitive innings makes sure there's no shortage of laughter between plays.

Parking lot post-game tailgate

The game ends, but Montero's time with her teammates goes into extra innings. Everyone gathers around her Toyota RAV4 for a celebratory tailgate — win or lose.

They break out folding chairs, share food and drinks, replay the game's biggest moments, and linger long after the final out, squeezing in a little more quality time before another busy week begins.

People gather around a folding table beside a red SUV in a sunlit parking lot near trees.

"If you're sick, somebody is there to bring you some food. If you're getting married, you got your bridesmaids," Montero says. "Having a bad day? We're always checking on each other."

For Montero, adulthood may come with jobs and bills, but it's not about those things; it's about community and passion.

"Adults lose their passion a lot of times due to just life — careers, finances, health issues," she says. "I always tell people: Don't give up. Just keep going. Give me one game a month, one game a day if you can. But just keep going."

If anyone proves it's possible to hold onto a lifelong passion, it's Montero. Whether she's welcoming new players to the game or organizing another Sunday on the diamond, her version of adulthood feels like a home run every day.

Explore how the 2026 Toyota RAV4 GR SPORT fits your version of adulthood.

This sponsored post was created by BI Studios with Toyota.

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