Softball is played in New South Wales, introduced to the state in 1939. By 1984, there were 1,356 registered teams in New South Wales. Players from Australia have been on the men's and women's national team, had AIS scholarships, played at universities in the United States, and professionally in the US, Japan and Europe.
New South Wales schools were introduced to softball in 1939. [1] Softball saw a "benefit" in the bombing of Darwin and the inclusion of Australia in World War II in terms of bringing in American military personnel who brought softball with them to this state. [2] The state had its own association by 1946. [3] [4] The state federation was one of the foundation federation members of the Australian Women's Softball Council in 1949. [3] [5] In 1971, there were 309 teams affiliated with the state organisation, 440 in 1975, 504 in 1976, 579 in 1977, 638 in 1978, 1,222 in 1983 and 1,356 in 1984. [6]
In 1947, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria participated in the first interstate softball competition in the country. The competition was eventually called the Mack Gilley Shield. [5] Between 1947 and 1968, New South Wales did not win a single Mack Gilley Shield. [5] [7] They finally won in 1969, repeating their first-place finish again in 1973, 1981 when they shared the title with Victoria, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. [7] The state hosted the Mack Gilley Shield in Sydney in 1950, 1955, 1961,1968, 1975, 1982, 1990, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017. [5] Women's open team members who represented New South Wales at the 2007 Mack Gilley Shield include Michelle Cox. [8]
At the 2007 Australian U-19 Women's Fastpitch Championship, New South Wales beat Western Australia in the finals. [9]
New South Wales has three Junior teams, U17's (previously U16) and U19's, and U23's. The U17's compete for the Esther Deason Shield. [10] The U19's compete for the Elinor McKenzie Shield. [11]
Members of the 2011 Australia women's national softball team from New South Wales include Kaia Parnaby. [12] Members of the 2012 Australia women's national softball team from New South Wales include Michelle Cox and Kaia Parnaby. [13]
The Australian Institute of Sport first awarded softball scholarships in 1993, after the 1991 announcement that softball would be included on the programme for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Since then, several competitors from this state have been awarded scholarships including Belinda Ashworth, Kylie Herbert, Kelly Lindsay and Brooke Wilkins who all had scholarships in the programme's inaugural year. [14]
Some softball players from this state have played softball for American universities, which depleted the level of high quality players available for local, state and international competitions. They include Melanie Roche who played for Oklahoma State University starting in 1989, Brook Wilkins who played for the University of Hawaii starting in 1993, Suzanne Fairhurt who played for Oklahoma City University starting in 1993, and [15] Kaia Parnaby for the University of Hawaii starting in 2009. [16] Ellen Roberts who played for Memphis University from 2011. Georgia Casey at Oklahoma University from 2012. Simone Freeman at Oklahoma State University from 2011. Tahli Moore at James Madison University from 2014. Michelle Cox at San Jose University from 2012.
In 1985, Australia had an unofficial men's test team of all starts who played against the New Zealand national team in Melbourne. Team members from New South Wales included E. Wulf, D. Cullen, and R. Richardson. [17]
In 1991, the Australia men's national softball team played four games of an eight-game test series against the New Zealand team in Sydney. [18]
In 2018, the Junior Australian Men's National Team won the World Championships in Prince Alfred, SK Canada.
On 23 March 2012, a youth girls aboriginal team from the state participated in an exhibition match against the Australian Capital Territory before the announcement of a national programme to increase aboriginal participation in the sport of softball. [19]
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 Gilleys Shield is a trophy symbolising the Open Women's Championship of the Softball Australia organisation. The competition's full name is the Mack Gilley Shield.
The Elinor McKenzie Shield is a trophy symbolizing the Under 18 Women's Championship of Softball Australia.
Softball in Australia is played in Australia.
Kaia Parnaby is an Australian, former collegiate All-American, 2020 Olympian, left-handed professional softball pitcher, originally from Sydney. 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 played in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Softball is played in Queensland.
Softball is played in the Australian state of Victoria.
Softball is played in Tasmania. The game was brought to the island during the late 1940s from Melbourne, Victoria. The sport would grow in popularity in Tasmania with 56 teams in 1976 to 216 in 1984. Men's softball is not popular in Tasmania. The first softball only facility was built in Tasmania in 1984.
Softball is played in South Australia.
Softball is played in Western Australia.
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.
Softball is played in the Northern Territory, Australia.
The Australian Men's Softball Team is the national softball team of Australia. They are nicknamed the Aussie Steelers. The team is governed by Softball Australia and takes part in international softball competitions.
The Virgin Islands men's national softball team is the top men's softball team for the territory of the Virgin Island.
Cuba men's national softball team represents Cuba in international softball competitions. The team played at the 1988 World Championships, which were held in Saskatoon, Canada. They played 13 games in a round robin tournament, and beat Australia 7–4 in one game.
Guam men's national softball team is the national team for Guam. The 1992 World Championships, the eighth time the event was competed for, was held in Manila. Australia beat Guam 7–2 in one game in the first round robin round.
Indonesia men's national softball team is the national team for Indonesia. The 1992 World Championships, the eighth time the event was competed for, was held in Manila. Australia beat Indonesia 5–4 in one game in the first round robin round. The team competed at the 2009 ISF Men's World Championship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where they finished sixteenth.
Singapore men's national softball team is the national team for Singapore.
The British Virgin Islands men's national softball team is the national team for the British Virgin Islands. The 1988 World Championships were held in Saskatoon, Canada. The team played 13 games in the round robin round, finishing twelfth overall.
Bermuda men's national softball team is the national team for Bermuda. The 1988 World Championships were held in Saskatoon, Canada. The team played 13 games in the round robin round. They finished thirteenth overall.
