11-year-old Audrey Cheung was part of the historic Australian Little League Girls Tournament, a world first, and now she’s hoping to end the year on a high as part of the Team Australia U12 World Cup Qualifier.
Audrey was one of 18 players named to the Qualification Squad, joining fellow Victorians Harvey Ninnis and Phil Toye, as Australia’s littlest national team heads to Guam to try to qualify for the 2025 U12 World Cup.
The Green and Gold will compete with Guam and Northern Mariana Islands in games starting 29 November and running through 2 December.
Audrey’s selection to the team was incredibly well-deserved, according to her very proud Belles coach Leah Trebilcock.
“I was absolutely bursting with pride the moment I saw the news. I can't wait to see how she grows from the experience. Audrey is a talented baseballer in her own right, not just 'talented for a girl'. Nonetheless, I think it is important to celebrate her inclusion in the team, for the impact it will have on young girls playing tee-ball and Little League around Australia,” Leah said.
“The impact on young girls, of seeing your peers pursue an elite pathway, cannot be understated: if you can see her, you can be her.”
Audrey began playing baseball in early 2022 at the North Balwyn Stingers for the winter season. She joined the Belles for the 2023 State Championships, and was again part of the Belles this year, going all the way to the National All-Girls Little League Championships.
Audrey threw the first pitch of the historic championship and also hit the first and only home run for the tournament.
“I am sure this is just the first of many marks she will leave on the game,” Coach Leah said. “Audrey is a natural, and her work behind the dish shows a maturity and knowledge of the game beyond her years.
“The first time I saw her play as a 9-year-old, I knew she has the potential to break new ground for girls in this sport! But she doesn't rely on talent alone. Audrey trains hard. And she is a fantastic teammate, always looking out for those around her.”
From the quality juniors program at Malvern Baseball Club to the Athletics Charter and Belles program, Audrey has made the most of every training opportunity.
“She's worked hard, but it doesn't seem like hard work, when you love the game as much as Audrey clearly does,” Leah added.
With the full support of her family, friends, and coaches, the future is bright for Audrey.
She’s proud of how far she’s come in the past few years, learning about the game and developing a deep love for baseball. She’s made some incredible memories along the way, starting with local club ball.
“In my early seasons at North Balwyn as I was being introduced to the sport, I enjoyed learning about the fundamentals, rules, and culture of the game. In the first season especially, I was rather oblivious and clueless to what was happening in the game, so one of my favourite memories was my coaches having the patience to teach me about baseball,” Audrey said.
“At Malvern, my most treasured memory was when I was taking batting practise, and my teammate looked at me quizzically after my round and said, as I fondly remember, ‘Your bat looks...crooked.’ I looked down and was so surprised to see my metal bat practically snapped in half!”
All her training prepared her to play baseball at a higher level, where she gets to bond with other young players over their shared love of the sport. Belles was an especially rewarding opportunity.
“I think something that really highlighted my Belles experience both this year and last year was the amount of enthusiasm and support each player had for one another,” Audrey recalled. “It was unlike anything I'd experienced, as we almost had specialised chants and nicknames for everybody and the atmosphere in the dugout was so vividly lively.”
Now, Audrey is ready for one of her biggest tournaments yet, determined to keep working hard and make it to the World Cup in Taiwan.
“I would like to win the Oceania division and advance to the World Cup mid-next year. In the process of doing this, I would like to hopefully get a few good hits and make defensive plays too,” Audrey said.
“It feels incredible to know that all my training and experience in this sport has helped me to become the player I am today and achieve this goal I have aspired to accomplish. I am beyond grateful and excited for this opportunity to pursue this sport to such a high level and meet people from across the world. “
To follow Audrey and her teammates’ journey representing the Green and Gold, head to the Team Australia U12 Qualifier Hub.
Photos: Studio Honsa