Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field, with only underhand pitches permitted. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hancock.
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, 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.
Jennifer Yvonne McFalls is an American, former collegiate All-American, gold-medal winning Olympian softball player and current head coach originally from Grand Prairie, Texas. She is head of the Kansas Jayhawks softball. team She played college softball at Texas A&M as a utility player and shortstop. She then went on to represent Team USA, being named an Olympic alternate in 1996 and a member of the 2000 team that won gold. After her years playing softball McFalls decided to become a coach with her first position as the assistant coach at Texas A&M. Mcfalls continued to coach for many years with several different schools at many different competitive levels. She was the head coach of the National Pro Fastpitch professional softball team, the Dallas Charge for their inaugural season.
Glencora Ralph is an Australian water polo centre back/driver. She attended the Curtin University of Technology and is a dental therapist. She competes for the Fremantle Marlins in the National Water Polo League, and was on sides that won the league championship in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007. She has been a member of the Australia women's national water polo team on the junior and senior level. She has won gold medals at the 2011 Canada Cup and at the 2007 FINA Junior World Championships. She won silver medals at the 2010 FINA World League Super Finals and at the 2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup. She won a bronze medal at the 2009 FINA World League Super Finals. She was part of the Australian water polo team that won bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Holly Jane Lincoln-Smith is an Australian water polo centre forward. Her sister is skeleton competitor Emma Lincoln-Smith. They are the first set of Australian siblings where one competed at the Summer Olympics and the other at the Winter Olympics.
Melissa Alison Rippon is an Australian water polo player. Her sister is Rebecca Rippon and her step-sister is Kate Gynther, both of whom have been members of Australia's national water polo team and competed at the Olympics. She plays for the Brisbane Barracudas who compete in the National Water Polo League. She represented Australia in water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics, 2008 Summer Olympics and at the 2012 Summer Olympics winning bronze medals at both of the latter two. She has earned a bronze medal at the 2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup, and a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Michelle Johanna Cox is an Australian softball outfielder. She has represented New South Wales as a member of the U16 team in national competitions and has played on the Australia women's national softball team. From 2012 to 2015, Cox played for San Jose State University.
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.
Brenda De Blaes is an Australian softball player. She resides in Canberra where she plays club softball and represents the territory in national competitions. She is a member of the Australia women's national softball team and has competed at the 2009 World Cup and the 2010 World Cup of Softball. She is vying for a spot on the team that will 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, 2020 Olympian, left-handed professional softball pitcher, originally from Sydney, 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 played in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
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.
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.
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 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.
Ashley Elizabeth Hansen Church is an American, former collegiate All-American, right-handed softball player originally from Chandler, Arizona. Hansen played at Stanford University from 2009 to 2012 as a shortstop and is the school doubles leader and also ranks top-5 in the Pac-12 Conference and the NCAA Division I for the career category.
Ellen Roberts is an Australian, former collegiate, right-handed professional softball pitcher. Roberts currently plays for Ogaki Minamo in the Japanese Diamond League.
Taylah Tsitsikronis is an Australian female softball Olympian. She was born in Sydney, Australia on 3 July 1994.
