The Women's Softball World Cup is a fastpitch softball tournament for women's national teams held historically every four years, now every two years, by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). The tournament, originally known as the ISF Women's World Championship, was sanctioned by the International Softball Federation (ISF) until that body's 2013 merger with the International Baseball Federation to create the WBSC. The number of teams in the tournament began at five in its inaugural event in 1965, went to a high of 28 for the 1994 edition, and now the WBSC Code legislates that the maximum number of teams that may participate is 16. There are qualifying tournaments that determine which countries will play at the World Cup.
Stacey Porter is an Australian professional indigenous softball first/third baseman. She represents New South Wales in Australian national competitions, where she has won several national championships on the junior and senior team. She played university softball for the University of Hawaii from 2001 to 2003 where she set several records and was named to the All-American team. She plays professional softball in Japan. She represented Australia at the junior level and continues to represent Australia at the senior level and is current Australian Captain. Stacey competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics where she won a silver medal and the 2008 Summer Olympics where she won a bronze medal and has competed in multiple world softball championships.
The Australia women's national softball team, also known as the Aussie Spirit, or the Dingeroos, is the national softball team of Australia. It is governed by Softball Australia and takes part in international softball competitions. They are one of Australia's most successful women's sporting teams on the world stage, and they have achieved outstanding results over the last 3 decades. Alongside the USA team, the Aussie Spirit are the only other team to medal at all 4 Olympics that softball was included as a sport in the Olympics program. At the inaugural Women's Softball World Championship held in Melbourne, 1965. Australia claimed the first ever title, winning Gold and stamped themselves as a pioneer in the sport.
Jodie Bowering is an Australian softball player. She is a physical education and health teacher who plays softball at the state, national and international level. In national competitions, she represents Queensland. As a member of Australia's 2008 team, she won a bronze medal in Beijing. She is a member of the 2012 national team and is attempting to secure a spot to compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships.
Justine Smethurst is an Australian softball player. She is a pitcher and plays club softball in the Glen Waverley Softball Association. She has represented Victoria on a variety of different teams and competed at the national championships several times, winning one in 2001. She played for the University of Hawaii softball team in 2006 and 2007. She has been a member of the senior Australia women's national softball team, winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She is trying to gain a spot on the roster to compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships.
Jocelyn McCallum is an Australian softball player. She is a pitcher and represents Queensland in state competitions. She has also represented Australia on the junior and senior level. She was close to being selected for the national team that competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics but did not make the final cut. She was selected for the 2012 Australia women's national softball team as a non-travelling reserve. She was a member of the 2014 Australia women's national softball team. She has played professional softball for teams in Europe and the United States.
Stacey McManus is an Australian softball player. She is a shortstop and second baseman, plays club softball and has represented New South Wales in national competitions. She is a member of Australia women's national softball team and competed at the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Series and the World Cup of Softball. She is trying to earn a spot on the team that will compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships.
Kym Tollenaere is an Australian softball catcher who lives in Queensland, whom she represents in national competitions. She has represented Australia as a member of the Australia women's national softball team. She made the training squad but ultimately did not represent Australia at the 2004 Summer Olympics. As a member of the national team, she earned a gold medal at the 2005 Canada Cup, a silver at the 2005 Pacific Rim tournament and a bronze medal at the 2005 World Cup. She is trying to secure a sport on the squad that will compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships. She has played softball professionally in Japan.
Aimee Murch is an Australian softball player. She plays for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in national competitions, and for a local ACT club. She plays for the Australia women's national softball team. She is trying to earn a spot on the roster that will allow her to compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships. She plays professional softball in Italy for Nuoro. She is currently employed by the Queensland Department of Education.
Jade Wall is an Australian softball player. Wall started playing softball as a nine-year-old. She had a softball scholarship with the Queensland Academy of Sport. She represents Queensland in state competitions and, at one point, was the youngest player on Queensland's open women's team. She has been a member of Australia women's national softball team on the junior and senior level. She is on the short list of players vying to compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships.
Chelsea Forkin is a softball and baseball player. As a softball player, Chelsea has won 3 Australian National Championship titles with the Western Australian Flames and 1 title with the Queensland Heat.
Clare Warwick is an Australia softball player from Canberra. She is a utility player, playing several positions. She played softball at the University of Hawaii where she earned several honours. She competes for the Australian Capital Territory in national competitions in Australia. She has represented Australia on the junior and senior level. In 2011, she earned a bronze medal at the Canada Cup. She plays professional softball in Italy for Baseball Softball Club Legnano.
Leigh Melissa Godfrey is an Australian softball player. She played softball for Radford University in the United States. In Australia, she represents Western Australia in national competitions. She has represented Australia on the junior and senior team. She is trying to earn a spot to compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships.
Melinda Weaver is an Australian softball player from Brisbane, Queensland. She plays shortstop and held softball scholarships with the Queensland Academy of Sport and the Australian Institute of Sport. At national competitions, she represents Queensland. She missed out at competing at the 2008 Summer Olympics as a result of injury. She is vying for a spot on the team to compete at the World Championships in 2012.
Sandra Holden is an Australian softball pitcher. She teaches high school science at Livingstone Christian College and resides in Ormeau, Queensland. She represents Queensland in national competitions and she is a member of the Australia women's national softball team, where she represented the country in a 2009 tour of Japan and in a January 2012 test against New Zealand. She is trying to earn a spot on the team that will allow her to compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships
Belinda White is a South Australian softball player. She briefly attend Troy University, where she played on the softball team. She plays club softball for the Sturt Falcons and represents South Australia in national competitions. She has held softball scholarships with the Australian Institute of Sport, represented Australia on the junior and senior level, and is working to qualify for the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships.
Verity Long-Droppert is an Australian softball third base man and outfielder. She attended the University of Western Australia. She has held softball scholarships from the Australian Institute of Sport and the Western Australian Institute of Sport. She has represented Australia on the junior and senior levels, and won a bronze medal at the 2007 ISF Junior Women's World Championships. She played professional softball for Baseball Softball Club Legnano.
Jodie Stevenson is an Australian softball player. She has represented Western Australia on the junior and women's open national level, where she has competed in national championships. She has represented Australia as a member of the Australia women's national softball team on the junior and senior level, and competed at the 2007 Junior World Championships. She is trying to earn a spot to compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships
Softball is played in the Australian Capital Territory. The game was influenced early in its history in the territory by Queanbeyan. There are efforts to increase participation in the sport in the ACT. The territory has won the Gilleys Shield three times in a row. Players from Canberra have been on the national team, held Australian Institute of Sport scholarships and played for American universities.
Kere Johanson is a New Zealand men's softball player and coach. He coaches the Australia women's national softball team.
