| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Australia | ||
| Women's Softball | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 | 2008 Beijing | Team |
Danielle Stewart (born 29 July 1981 in Brisbane, Queensland) is a softball player from Australia, who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. A short stop, Stewart plays for the Mariners club in Brisbane and has also played college softball in the US at Hofstra University.
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Australia's softball history began in 1939 when Gordon Young, Director of Physical Education in NSW, began to promote the game in schools and colleges. In 1942, during World War II, US army sergeant William Duvernet organised softball as a recreation for US nurses stationed in Victoria. Another American, Mack Gilley, introduced the game to Queensland in 1946. Australia's first inter-state championship was played in Brisbane in 1947 and was won by Victoria. The second national championship was held in Melbourne two years later. It was at this championship that the Australian Softball Federation was formed with Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales being the founding members. The other States of Australia have since joined. Eight Australian Championships are now conducted each year - Women's, Men's, Under 23 Women and Men, Under 19 Women and Men, and Under 16 Girls and Boys. Softball has been a major sport in the schools program for some time now and it is estimated that more than 250,000 children play the game each year.
Tanya Victoria Harding is an Australian softball player, who has competed for Australia at four consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996. Three times she claimed a bronze medal, and once a silver medal (2004).
Softball at the Summer Olympics was on the Olympic programme from 1996 to 2008. It was introduced at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Softball was removed from the programme for 2012 and 2016, but was added, along with baseball, for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
The Queensland Softball Association, now known as Softball Queensland, organises and develops the sport of softball in Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1946 as a women's association, it runs an annual state championship and state league, and attends all ASF National Championships.
Softball in Australia is played in Australia.
Blacktown International Sportspark (BISP) is a multi-sports venue located in Rooty Hill, a suburb in Sydney, Australia. The venue includes two cricket grounds, which have also been used for Australian rules football, an athletics track and field, three baseball diamonds, two soccer fields, four softball diamonds, administration centers and park land.
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, 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.
Jocelyn "Joyce" Mavis Lester, OAM is an Australian softball player and coach. A catcher and outfielder, she joined the Australia women's national softball team in 1977, and captained it from 1985 until its bronze medal win at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when she retired from international competition.. She played professionally for the first time in Japan from 1996 to 1999, and thereafter coached softball in both Japan and Australia. She was named to the world all-star softball team in 1986 and 1989, and has been inducted into the Queensland, Australian and world softball halls of fame.
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.
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.
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.
Kaia Parnaby is an Australian, former collegiate All-American, left-handed professional softball pitcher, originally from Bilgola Plateau, New South Wales. She is a pitcher and earned a scholarship to and played for the Australian Institute of Sport. She played university softball for the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine team in the Big West Conference where she was recognized as all-conference and the 2013 Pitcher of The Year. She also helped them to their first-ever appearance at the 2010 Women's College World Series. She also played for the Aussie Peppers, a traveling team affiliate in the National Pro Fastpitch. She is a member of the senior Australia women's national softball team and is on the short list to compete at postponed 2020 Summer Olympics.
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.
Softball is played in Queensland .