In this edition of our Advocate Spotlight, NCAAR talked to Jennifer Thierjung, Outreach Coordinator at Cooper University Healthcare Recovery Center, and Christina Esterly, CADC Intern at Cooperative Care about how they united a community through softball.

All photos courtesy of Jenn and Christina.

               Jennifer Thierjung and Christina Esterly

In a powerful testament to resilience and community, Jennifer Thierjung and Christina Esterly have transformed their personal journeys through recovery into a mission of connection and healing. Once participants in Cape May County’s Recovery Court, they now serve as pillars of support at Cooper University Healthcare Recovery Center and Cooperative Care, using their lived experiences to uplift others. Their passion for fostering relationships—especially among those often marginalized—shines through in the vibrant activities they organize, proving that recovery is not just about overcoming challenges, but also about rediscovering joy, purpose, and belonging. 

While they have organized many activities in the last couple of years, Jenn and Christina were especially excited about putting together a softball team. Approximately 40 players started in the spring of 2025, but the summer heat and busy schedules forced them to delay practice and games until fall. During the break, SueAnne Agger, the Program Director at the Cooper University Healthcare Recovery Center, reached out to the Lower Township Police Chief to suggest a softball game with the police department. Although they did not have a team at the time, he accepted the invitation. 

Jennifer and Christina could hardly control their excitement as they talked about the game. The field was full of families cheering on the players from both sides. A mother of one of the Recovery Center players drove three hours to see her son play. A father coached his son from the fence, and children cheered for their parents. It was healing for the families and the players, many of whom had struggled in the past with their relationships and/or were separated from their children. The support of the families gave hope to those who were still working on their relationships. 

Jennifer and Christina's journey from recovery participants to community leaders is a powerful reminder that healing thrives in connection. Their efforts—whether organizing softball games or building bridges between recovery communities and law enforcement—are changing lives and perceptions. With each cheer from the sidelines and every handshake across teams, they're proving that recovery is not just possible, but joyful, inclusive, and deeply human. The future they envision is filled with more games, more laughter, and more opportunities to bring people together—one pitch, one play, one person at a time.