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In the spirit of reconciliation, Softball Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Partners and sponsors Contents GOVERNMENT PARTNERS Message from Sport Australia ...................... 1 Chairman’s Report .......................................... 2 Chief Executive Officer’s Report ................. 3 Staff and Member States .............................. 5 Committees ........................................................ 6 High Performance ............................................7 Marketing and Communications ................ 9 Member Recognition ..................................... 15 Membership...................................................... 17 Technical Umpiring ................................................. 25 NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR Scoring .................................................... 29 Coaching ................................................. 31 Appointments WBSC ....................................................... 33 Softball Australia .................................. 34 Events and Results International .......................................... 35 National .................................................. 39 EXCLUSIVE CATEGORY PARTNERS Teams and Squads ........................................ 53 Awards & Honours ........................................ 55 1 |SOFTBALL AUSTRALIA | ANNUAL REPORT 2 |SOFTBALL AUSTRALIA | ANNUAL REPORT Message from Sport Australia Softball Australia’s Chairman report John Wylie AM John Hollingsworth The start of 2020 has been an extraordinarily tough time for Australians, including all of us Softball in Australia has again taken great strides towards the betterment of the committed to sport. game during very challenging times. The impact of bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic have been confronting for The past 12 months was an exciting time for softball in Australia, highlighted by communities, where we all know sport plays such an important role. our return to the Olympics via an unbeaten qualifying tournament in China in At the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), comprising Sport Australia and the Australian September 2019. Institute of Sport (AIS), our energy is focused on supporting our partners through these We are fully supportive of the decision of the International Olympic Committee times as we continue to advocate the importance of sport to our economy, productivity, to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games. This was obviously difficult for our High health, wellbeing and culture. Performance team but their resilience and positivity following the news is We believe whole-heartedly that when we get through this challenging period, sport will hugely admirable, I look forward to seeing them take their deserved spot on play a prominent role in lifting the nation’s energy and spirits again. the diamond in Tokyo 2021. Times such as these can also make us more appreciative of what we do have and of the success we have achieved. Internationally, our Open Women’s team returned to the National Pro Fastpitch League in the United States under Success in sport is always hard fought. But it’s a fight Australian high-performance sport welcomes as it continues to the banner of the Aussie Peppers of Minnesota. This is not only a huge opportunity for both the current squad of achieve success. Australian players but also to those at the junior level who now have the prospect of being selected to compete in Last year the wonderful Ash Barty won the French Open and became our first female No1 tennis player since her idol, a professional league overseas. Thank you to the Peppers for hosting our girls and your support of our High Evonne Goolagong Cawley, in 1976. Javelin-thrower Kelsey Lee-Barber set personal bests throughout the year and took Performance program. the title at the IAAF World Championships in Doha. Dylan Alcott added three more Grand Slam quad wheelchair singles Our Junior Men’s program once again proved their credentials on the world stage with a runner-up result at the trophies to the cabinet and Sailing duo Matt Belcher and Will Ryan claimed the men’s 470 World Championship. In the Junior Men’s World Cup held in Palmerston North, New Zealand, an exciting sign for the future of the Aussie Steelers. pool, our swimmers won seven gold medals at the FINA World Championships, placing Australia fourth on the medal tally. At the domestic level we had another brilliant Summer of Softball starting with our National Championships. I’d like to commend the Open Men’s and U14 Boys’ participants for their understanding of Softball Australia’s decision to This year our inspiring women’s cricket team won a fifth World T20 title, drawing a record crowd of 86,174 to the MCG. shift their tournament venue from Hawker to Blacktown to avoid the treat of bushfires. How fitting that this historical moment fell on International Women’s Day. These results are a testament to the tenacity and passion of athletes, coaches, sports staff and sporting organisations, which know we have all the skills and abilities We saw our Member States come together to ensure the safety of our participants were a priority, thanks to all for to achieve success. their cooperation in a difficult situation. That was an encouraging sign for our One Softball initiative which again has I am proud too of the service our organisation provides to Australian sport each year, on behalf of the Australian taken big steps in the last 12 months. We appointed a full-time resource to facilitate One Softball amongst States Government. and its been exciting to see that progress. Undoubtedly our sport needs to transition to a One Softball organisation to grow participation and improve retention. The primary aim of this transformation is to increase participation and The ASC, through Sport Australia and the AIS, delivers 25,000 grants a year. ultimately membership in softball across Australia. It is crucial for us, now more than ever, to grow the sport and the The AIS, funds and prepares our Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games to represent us at the highest level One Softball strategy is going to play the pivotal role. in international competition. Finally, the COVID-19 Pandemic has rocked communities and economies across the world and Australian sport is In the past few years, we have enhanced our support to athlete wellbeing and engagement, a move that is essential, certainly no different. All codes have been forced to adjust quickly. I am thoroughly impressed by the leadership especially in the current environment. from our Member States and commend them for making, and continuing to make, difficult decisions in difficult Sport Australia invests in sports participation programs, from our national Sporting Schools program for younger times. children through to the Better Ageing program aimed at Australians aged 65 and over. As I step away from the Board of Softball Australia I have full confidence that new Chair Peter Jon Hartshorne and So many of these grants fuel aspirations. Our Local Sporting Champions program supports 9,000 children a year to his fellow board members, an impressive group of industry professionals, will continue to grow our game, and I reach for their sporting dreams. depart proud of the current state of the sport and its growth potential. Our Women Leaders in Sport program and the AIS Talent program provide opportunities for women to progress their professional development in all roles across sport. I’d like to personally thank the Board of Softball Australia, staff at the national office and the Member States, athletes, coaches, umpires, scorers and volunteers for all contributing to my enjoyable nine-year involvement with the sport. We continue to work with sports to modernise traditional governance structures in Australian sporting organisations and we continue to encourage environments that are inclusive, diverse, safe and welcoming, making sport the My time on the Board has been an incredibly rewarding experience. benchmark for a more equitable society. Best of luck to our future Olympians and Australian representatives, as well as anyone who steps onto a diamond to This was to be the year of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo. Instead, it has been postponed to 2021, with play this great game. the Olympic Games to be held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 and the Paralympics from 24 August to 5 September 2021. John Hollingsworth We have already witnessed a great deal of positivity from athletes who now need to re-set. Chairman I’m confident, as a united sport system, we will do the same. John Wylie AM ASC Chair 3 |SOFTBALL AUSTRALIA | ANNUAL REPORT 4 |SOFTBALL AUSTRALIA | ANNUAL REPORT Softball Australia’s CEO report David Pryles The past twelve months for Softball Australia has seen the highest of highs when the Travelodge Aussie Spirit won their way back into the Olympic Games and at the other end of the scale dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic that stopped sport in Australia. Despite the difficulties every sport in the world has experienced, I am proud of where we sit as an organisation and how we’ve maintained momentum in a number of areas. High Performance Firstly, congratulations must go to our Travelodge Aussie Spirit team who were commend our State SEOs around the country for how they Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing magnificent