• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

2019 ANNUAL REPORT Reflecting on the year that was, as we do when look- Our Social media platforms were red-hot this year form the sport all-together as she has become a valued ing forward, the bigger picture that we work towards with 80% growth in Facebook likes (figures provid- member her club and State Women’s team as a statis- shows that we continue to bring out the best in our ed by https://www.shunt.com.au/sa/) and with this tician. organisation. Sure, there are areas of improvement growth we overtook every other state (for softball) in that we are working on but overall, Softball SA have Australia with now over 6000 likes. We started our In- Also, Daniella DiGirolamo had to step away due to a been on a steady march towards positive change, best stagram page, which has had great reach. It is video number of other commitments, we thank her for her practice on and off the diamond and modernising views that have helped us break records, create history time on the Board the last year. processes to stay in touch with the rest of the sporting and become televised and it is all thanks to the ‘Space- industry. 2019/20 will be much of the same but with quake Sports effect’. Many thanks to David Muggle- Alice Prokopec started out with the organisation in the guidance of a new strategic plan, aligned with our ton and his team at Spacequake Sports. July 2017 in what was only an 8-week contract. 18 governing body, Softball Australia, we will focus on months later, Alice chose to move on from the organ- sustainability, community and participant develop- We thank all media for their support mainstream and isation after playing a massive role with some major ment opportunities. local/regional journalists that also have softball fea- events including the DENSO vs Aussie Spirit series tured throughout the summer, especially Robert Laid- and left with a bang after a very successful U17 Na- Retention matters! Just when we thought we had ar- law and Ben Hook who both have continued their tional Championship in January this year. rested the 20-year decline in membership numbers, amazing work in the Advertiser and Sunday Mail. including three years of growth, the last two years Wess Frances completed his 3-year term as the ACDO. have seen a reduction. Not due to the lack of recruit- Development pathways received a boost with the suc- Always one to put everything into his work, he un- ment with close to 700 new or returning members cessful application for funding from the Office for Rec, covered critical information and data regarding the registering this year. This highlights, yet again, the call Sport and Racing. Their help with the recruitment of a retention of the membership, assisted all associations to action to all associations and their clubs, regard- Pathways Development Office and their direction in- during the three years, providing a valuable resource ing retention, which was highlighted before the end cluding funding obligations have helped to ensure the to the membership. During that period, he also helped of the 3-year Association Club Development Officer Dragons Program continues. I’m very much looking to establish the Dragons program that has now been (ACDO) program. If this area is ignored, we will con- forward to what the next couple of years may deliver engrained into the organisation and is the flagship tinue to look at further decline in membership num- with this funding. development program for our pathways. Finally, he bers. also ended his tenure as State Coordinator of Coach- State Team performances don’t tell the full story of ing, putting record numbers of coaches through the Participation opportunities are at our fingertips with how far we’ve come and a credit to the State Team accreditation program. During this period, Wess was the recent school sport figures in SA showing that officials and players for their commitment and con- honoured for his voluntary work with the Chairman’s there are more than 15,000 students participating in tribution to the program. The SA Starz (Open Wom- award as Coaching Coordinator in 2014 and Dragons softball at schools around the state. Clubs are very en) team fell 1 run short of Gilley’s Shield success and Coordinator in 2018, becoming the only person to much encouraged to have a working relationship with were runner-up, our best result in 46 years. New Head have won the award three times. schools in and around your local areas to best tap Coach, Morgan Young was able to lead his team to into these participants and maximising the potential the final. The U17 Girls also made the final in a home The efforts of the Softball SA staff are not to be forgot- members using the self-funding program, Sporting tournament. ten, many thanks to Kelsey Knuckey, Mandy Layden Schools. and Morgan Young for your tremendous work this Our new strategic plan has been completed with great year. All have contributed above expectations, here’s We are promoting a sport that actually means some- positivity for a brighter future, but it will not come to another great year ahead. thing to many softball fanatics locally, nationally and without us all rolling up our sleeves and contributing, internationally. Softball SA is leading the country in from my operational team to local teams and clubs, My final acknowledgement and thanks are to the soft- promoting the sport of softball; television (free to air), mums and dads, State reps, the board and committee ball community at large and in particular to those that social media, print and events have catapulted our members. volunteer their time for the love of the game, promot- name and brand further and wider than ever before. ing a positive and inclusive culture and of course the betterment of the sport. This year we signed a two-year deal with nation- al broadcaster, NITV (SBS Group) who aired games It with great pleasure to present the 2018/19 annual across Australia on Sunday afternoons, we had great report, it is filled with good times and great achieve- feedback from the station and good ratings numbers This year we had a number of changes in staff and ments and I hope you, the reader, enjoy the look back as well. Channel 44 (SA Community TV) have contin- Board Directors; ued the support of our great game with a third year of We farewelled Simone Thompson from the Board, showing games (mostly on Friday nights with several after eight years of service. She was always consid- replays throughout the week and out of season). ering the bigger picture and helped the organisation with some big changes. Hopefully it’s not a retirement PAGE 2 PAGE 3 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT CHAIRMAN’S REPORT On behalf of the Softball SA Inc. Board innovative and inclusive sport for the South Aus- In addition to our paid staff, we are fortunate to have In closing, I would like to thank every one of Directors, it gives me great pleasure to tralian community. It focuses on participation, a dedicated group of volunteers who give up their of you who are helping create a positive present to you the 2019 Annual Report, high-performance success, and working collabora- own time and provide their skills and professional future for Softball in South Australia. Our marking the 75th year of softball in South tively to build a sustainable softball organisation in expertise to Softball SA for very little in return. I community of dedicated athletes, officials, Australia. South Australia. A number of operational plans would sincerely like to thank these hard-working staff, volunteers, family and friends should and projects will roll out over the coming months people who help our sport to continue operating at be commended. There is still a lot of work Over the past 12 months as the Chair, I have and years to achieve these goals. the level that enables us to grow and move forward. to do and I hope that in continuing to work been driving the focus of the Board on the together, we will continue to achieve results business of governance, finance, risk and On the field this year we once again showed strength I would specifically like to acknowledge Annie and maximise the positive impact for our strategy for managing our sport in South in our state teams with some excellent results and Fidge as High-Performance Coordinator, Jacqui great sport. Australia. At times, this can be a difficult improvements on previous years. We also had a Dunn as the Chair of the State Teams’ Committee, task when our dedicated volunteers are so quite a number of players and officials selected in Lindy Rattigan as the State Scoring Coordinator, Uby Faddoul entrenched in our communities. To this end Australian squads and teams and others in devel- Robert Weaver and Graham O’Neill for the dedi- Chairman I want to thank the following people for giv- opment sides. Strategically, this is important for cation to maintaining our grounds, and Steve Wal- ing back to the sport and the endless hours softball in the state and we will continue to focus lace-Yarrow as the State Umpire in Chief. I would of commitment to ensure we are moving in on developing our members and high-performance also like to acknowledge Jacqui Crafter who has the right direction; Andrea Collett, Karyn pathways. recently been appointed as State Coaching Coor- Dale, Kim Evans, Janell Behrendt, Paul dinator. Brooking and Stuart Mossman.

Load more

  27

Copy Link