 | This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(December 2021) |
 | |
| Founded | YYYY |
|---|---|
The Northern Territory Softball Association is the smallest state body in the Australian Softball Federation with only two affiliated Associations.
In the Northern Territorys history they have never once won any of the ASF National Championships.
The Northern Territory Softball Association holds an annual Softball Carnival as part of the Arafura Games, this usually comprises teams from the Australian Defence Force, USA, Singapore, and the Northern Territory.
The Association also sends teams to the South Australia Softball Association's yearly Labour Day Softball Carnival, entering teams in the Under 16 Girls and Under 19 Women categories.
The Northern Territory periodically attends ASF National Championships
The Northern Territory is made up of 3 Associations both holding their own weekend competitions;
And 1 Umpires Association;
The Northern Territory Softball Association is made up of 4 Clubs;
Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a field that has base lengths of 60 feet, a pitcher's mound that ranges from 35 to 43 feet away from home plate, and a home run fence that is 220–300 feet away from home plate, depending on the type of softball being played. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level.
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.
The Nox Bailey Shield is a trophy awarded yearly to the Under 19 Men's Champion team of the Australian Softball Federation. It is named after a famous Australian softball organiser.
Each year Softball Australia holds eight National Championships. These are hosted by the various state bodies around Australia on a rotational roster.
Lacrosse in Australia is a minor sport, with a long and proud history dating back to 1876, with a small but dedicated community of participants and volunteers. The established centres for lacrosse are in the greater metropolitan areas of Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. In these cities there are organised weekend field lacrosse competitions for men and women at senior and junior levels, played over the winter months. In the off-season, there are informal box lacrosse and sofcrosse competitions, though the majority of players in Australia are mostly of the field lacrosse type. Some lacrosse is also played in Sydney, Newcastle, South East Queensland, Canberra and Hobart, it is very much at the developmental level.
The Laing Harrow Shield is a trophy symbolizing the Under 23 Men's Championship of the Australian Softball Federation. The Laing Harrow competition was first held in 1997 by the New South Wales Softball Association as an invitational tournament attended by all the east coast states, in 2004 ASF sanctioned the championship in its own bid to bridge the gap between the Under 19 National Championships and Open National Championships, and increase the retention of elite players. The men's under 23 championship was named after Laing Harrow in 2003.
The Elinor McKenzie Shield is a trophy symbolizing the Under 18 Women's Championship of Softball Australia.
The John Reid Shield is a trophy symbolising the Men's Open Championship of the Softball Australia organisation. It is named after New Zealand born state umpire John Reid who was also an internationally recognised reporter on the sport of softball.
The Australian Capital Territory Softball Association is a regional sports body in Australia. It was founded in 1959 as the Federal Districts Women's Softball Association, a group under the New South Wales Softball Association until it became an independent state body in 1961.
Netball is the most popular women's team participation sport in Australia. In 1985, there were 347,000 players. In 1995, there were over 360,000 Australian netball players. Throughout most of Australia's netball history, the game has largely been a participation sport; it has not managed to become a large spectator sport. In 2005 and 2006, 56,100 Australians attended one to two netball matches. Of these, 41,600 were women. 46,200 attended three to five netball matches, with 34,400 of those spectators being women. 86,400 attended six or more netball matches, with 54,800 spectators being female. Overall, 188,800 people attended netball matches, with 130,800 being female. In 2005 and 2006, netball was the 10th most popular spectator sport for women with Australian rules football (1,011,300), horse racing (912,200), rugby league (542,600), motor sports (462,100), rugby union (232,400), football (212,200), harness racing (190,500), cricket (183,200) and tennis (163,500) all being more popular. The country set an attendance record for a netball match with a record crowd of 14,339 at the Australia–New Zealand Netball Test held at the Sydney Super Dome game in 2004.
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.
Australian rules football in Australia is the most watched and attended sport and the second most participated code of football.
Softball in Australia is played in Australia.
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.
Softball is played in South Australia.