College softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. College softball is normally played by women at the Intercollegiate level, whereas college baseball is normally played by men.
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.
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 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 19 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 Joyce Lester Shield is a trophy symbolizing the Under 23 Women's championship of the Australian Softball Federation. The Joyce Lester competition was first held in 1997 to bridge the gap between the Under 19 National Championships and Open National Championships. It is named after Joyce Lester, an Australian softball player and coach.
The Northern Territory Softball Association is the smallest state body in the Australian Softball Federation with only two affiliated Associations.
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.
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.
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.
Softball is played in South Australia.
The Australian Sumo Federation is the organization that currently governs sumo for men and women in Australia.