Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

Thank you to everyone who has attended and supported the BV Umpiring Workshop & Forum. Your input has been greatly appreciated.

These workshops have been instrumental in developing the BV Umpiring Blueprint for the Future. As part of this collaborative process, we have identified the BV Umpiring Working Group as the ideal structure to deliver this action plan moving forward.

Please view the Terms of Reference for the Umpiring Working Group and position descriptions for members of the working group:

Please review these documents and consider whether you or someone you know would be a good fit for these roles.

Applications for the above positions can be made HERE.

We appreciate your assistance as we look to continue building the umpiring program through recruitment, education, and accreditation.

If you have any questions, please contact the office.

Congratulations to Victorians Bodhi Evans, Jacob Tayler, Maisen Ricketts, and Oliver Allen on being named to Team Australia’s Under 12 World Cup roster.

EO Val Langworthy is also from Victoria. We wish them all the best as Team Australia takes the final wild card spot at the Under 12 World Cup in Tainan City, Chinese Taipei from 28 July to 6 August.

Read more HERE.

It will be a big weekend of baseball in Bendigo with the 2023 U14 State Winter Championship and the BV All-Girls Winter Invitational from 1-2 July.

Seven teams will compete in the U14 State Winter Champs, with Bendigo, Dandenong, Geelong, MWBL City West, MWBL Diamond Valley, MWBL City West, and North Eastern all taking part. The three diamonds at Albert Roy Reserve will be busy all weekend long with 18 round-robin games scheduled.

The Bendigo baseball community is excited to welcome players from all across Victoria for a beloved winter tradition.

“Hosting the U14 SWC in Bendigo is a huge highlight on our baseball season calendar. It is a chance for us to bring together our community and showcase our sport to the region,” said Luke Martin, President of Bendigo Baseball Association.

“I always look forward to watching some baseball and can't wait to see our Bendigo team in action. Some of the young players on the team I have watched come up the ranks from T-Ball and I am looking forward to seeing how much they have developed this weekend.”

In addition to the State Winter Champs, Baseball Victoria is excited to introduce the BV All-Girls Winter Invitational as part of our ongoing women’s baseball initiatives. All girls aged 12-17 were invited to play, with participants split into three teams: BV Braves, BV Cubs, and BV Royals.

North Eastern Baseball Association also entered a team, with all four teams set to play each other on Saturday before being split into U13 and U17 age groups on Sunday. The girls baseball action will take place at Club Court, home of Strathfieldsaye Dodgers Baseball Club.

“We are looking forward to a fantastic weekend of baseball between the U14 State Winter Champs and the All-Girls Invitational,“ BV CEO Chet Gray said. “Thank you to all the players, teams, and associations for joining us for a memorable weekend in Bendigo, and best of luck throughout the tournaments!”

BV Diamond Partner Field of View Sports Photography will be around the grounds capturing team photos and action shots. Plus, our friends at Ausport and osteopaths from Osteo Sports Network will be there throughout the weekend.

Head to our 2023 State Winter Championships hub for live scoring and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

Baseball Victoria is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Coote as Administration Officer.

As the Williamstown Wolves Junior Coordinator, Michelle is a proud club volunteer and baseball mum with a passion for our great game. She joins Baseball Victoria with decades of professional experience across administrative and educational support roles.

“Michelle will be a fantastic asset to our team with her firsthand experience in grassroots sport and her baseball knowledge,” Baseball Victoria CEO Chet Gray said. “As a junior coordinator, charter EO, and baseball parent, Michelle understands many aspects of our game and the administration and communication required to ensure an enjoyable experience for all.”

Michelle is looking forward to supporting Baseball Victoria staff and members through her new role.

“I’m grateful for this new opportunity and ready to hit the ground running with the BV team as we continue the winter tournament season and prepare for summer baseball. I hope I can make a difference to the office and am excited to be part of a bright future for baseball in Victoria.”

Please join us in welcoming Michelle to the team! She can be reached at administration@baseballvictoria.com.au.

NEW UPDATE: Sadly, we have had to cancel the 2023 Under 18 State Winter Championship in Wangaratta due to wet weather and unsafe ground conditions.

Following good weather in the past few days, we were hopeful to get on the diamond but unfortunately, substantial rainfall late last night soaked the fields, making the grounds unplayable. More heavy rain is forecast throughout the weekend.

Although it's disappointing to have to cancel, the safety of our players is paramount and our grounds crew have done their best given the challenging conditions.

We greatly appreciate the assistance of Wangaratta Rangers and North Eastern Baseball Association and the cooperation of all teams. We hope you can still enjoy the wonderful hospitality of the Alpine region and everything it has to offer.

We wish everyone the best of luck for the rest of the winter season and we hope for better weather for the remaining SWC events.

Baseball Victoria’s 2023 State Winter Championship season continues this weekend with the U18 tournament at Wangaratta Baseball Club.

North Eastern Baseball Association is excited to host the 2023 U18 State Winter Championship from 24-25 June after a successful event last year.

"Hosting the U18s carnival in Wangaratta is a great way to show we offer baseball in the North East and the future of our competition can play in front of their home crowds,” NEBA Secretary Steph Odewahn said. "We are most looking forward to seeing competitive games of baseball played by the state's future stars."

Seven teams are taking part in this weekend’s fun, with Bendigo, Dandenong, Geelong, Latrobe Valley, MWBL City West, MWBL Ringwood, and North Eastern all set to contest the title. Geelong won last year’s U18 competition and will be looking to go back-to-back.

“The State Winter Champs are off to a great start and we can’t wait for an action-packed weekend in Wangaratta,” BV CEO Chet Gray said. “Thank you to North Eastern Baseball Association for all the support and we wish everyone the best of luck.”

BV Diamond Partner Field of View Sports Photography will be around the grounds capturing team photos and action shots. Plus, our friends at Ausport will be making a special appearance from 8:30am to 2:30pm on Saturday.

Head to our 2023 State Winter Championships hub for live scoring and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

Baseball Victoria is excited to launch the Canopi online system to streamline coaching accreditation management as we continue to grow our community of accredited coaches.

Coaches can use the Canopi system to track and complete Baseball Australia’s coach accreditation through the USA Baseball Certification courses. There are 3 levels of accreditation: A, B and C, and level A is a mandatory component of BV coaching accreditation.

All coaches, including assistant, club, head, and specialist coaches, can sign up to Canopi to complete accreditation requirements in line with BV coach education.

Level A Coach Learning

Cost: Free

Level A Coach (this is highly recommended) – all entry-level coaching positions: tee-ball, Little League, community coaching, charter coaches, club junior and senior coaches

Minimum age requirement – 14 years of age
Length of accreditation – lasts 3 years
This accreditation is free of charge

Level B Coach Learning

Cost: $90 (no charge if you are a current Level B/C in the system)

Level B Coach – (this is highly recommended) Victorian state assistant coaches, Performance Pathway programs, BV Coaching Panel members, and coaches who want to improve their knowledge.

Minimum age – 16 years of age
Length of accreditation – lasts 3 years
This is also an optional course for coaches who want to improve their knowledge of the game and have the opportunity to progress to a higher level in our sport.

Level C Coach Learning

Cost: $150 (no charge if you are a current Level B/C in the system)

Level C Coach – (this is a requirement) Victorian State Team head coaches.

You must be a Level B coach before applying for Level C
Minimum age – 18 years of age
Length of accreditation – Lasts 3 years
This is also an optional course for coaches who want to improve their knowledge of the game and have the opportunity to progress to a higher level in our sport.

To register for Canopi, please visit baseball.canopihr.com.au/auth/register and fill out your details, as seen below. Make sure to select “Coach” under “Primary Role” and “Baseball Vic” under “Member Organisation”.

If you have any questions, please contact pathways@baseballvictoria.com.au.

Baseball Victoria is pleased to open player expressions of interest for the 2023 Barclay Cup, which will take place at Carine Cats Baseball Club in Perth, WA from 1-7 October.

Victoria sent two teams to the inaugural event on the Gold Coast last year, with the Dingoes and Hornets making the most of their experience. This new national tournament for youth girls honours talented athlete and beloved baseballer Jacinda Barclay, who sadly passed away in 2020.

“The first-ever Barclay Cup was a big success for youth girls baseball in Australia, and we are honoured to once again offer this fantastic development opportunity to our junior girls,” Baseball Victoria CEO Chet Gray said. “With dedicated coaching staff and support from across the state and around the country, we know our youth women’s players will continue to develop their skills and thrive in the sport they love.”

The Barclay Cup program and trials will be conducted and organised by the BV Performance Pathway team, with Alan Sutherland and Sophia Stensholt confirmed as team head coaches. Trials will take place on Friday 21 July from 6-8:30pm at Melbourne Ballpark.

All female players who will be aged 13 to 16 by 31 August 2023 are eligible to participate. The price of attending the tournament is approximately $2,500 per player. This price will include a uniform package for the players, flights, accommodation, meals, ground transport, tournament entry fee, and more.

View the 2023 Barclay Cup Info Pack for more details and click here to register for this exciting opportunity.

Victorian Zak Skinner's sophomore year success has continued with the Sandringham Baseball Club and BV Performance Pathway alum being named to the 2023 NJCAA Division I Baseball Third Team All-Americans.

All-America selections are made by the NJCAA Division I Baseball Committee, and Zak impressed with a huge season at Vernon College. The catcher was named All-Region 5 behind the plate after hitting .447, with a .511 on-base percentage, 21 doubles, 10 home runs, and 61 RBIs in 53 games. He took 24 walks and only struck out 19 times throughout the season.

Closing his Vernon chapter, Zak just announced his commitment to Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas to further his academic and baseball career.

Congratulations Zak!