VSBL Player of the Week Awards are back this summer! For the second straight season, we will recognise standout players across seniors, women’s, and juniors. Winners will demonstrate exemplary performance, leadership, sportsmanship, and commitment to baseball.
Nominations will be accepted from the Baseball Victoria Board, staff, member clubs, member parents, registered baseball players, scorers, umpires, and anyone else associated with affiliated clubs of BV.
Please submit your nominations at the links below by the EOD Monday for the previous weekend of play.
Weekly winners will be announced on the VSBL Facebook page and each winner will score an Ausport gift voucher.
- VSBL Senior Player of the Week
- VSBL Junior Player of the Week
- Aces Sporting Club VSBL Women’s Batter of the Week
- Aces Sporting Club VSBL Women’s Pitcher of the Week
Thank you to BV Diamond Partners Ausport and Aces Sporting Club for their ongoing support of VSBL Players of the Week!
Vic Dingoes and Hornets are excited for a big week of baseball as the 2024 Barclay Cup kicks off this Sunday 29 September and runs through Saturday 5 October.
"We wish our Vic Dingoes and Hornets the best of luck as they head to Sydney to play in the junior girls tournament against baseballers from across Australia," Baseball Victoria CEO Chet Gray said. "The third annual event is sure to be filled with baseball fun on and off the diamond, and we can’t wait to watch it unfold."
To prepare for the tournament, Barclay Cup baseballers took part in the newly revamped Youth Women's Prospects Program for players aged 13 to 16, forming the core of their training. The program ran over eight weeks under the leadership of Samantha Hamilton, Victorian Women's Head Coach and Australian Women’s Assistant Coach.
Now, they are ready to represent at the Barclay Cup, which features teams from NSW, QLD, VIC, WA, and SA, providing a platform for junior girls to showcase their talent and celebrate the future of women’s baseball in Australia.
"Training was awesome and all of the girls showed massive improvements. They were sponges, absorbing everything they were told and working on their skills," Dingoes Head Coach Daniel Bebbere said. "Now, our goal is to help athletes put what they learnt at training into play."
The girls made leaps and bounds at training and are eager to meet new people and work well together.
"Sam Hamilton and the Barclay Coaches have put together an awesome program focused on developing the players' skills and learning new ones. The players have improved in a short time and we're looking to play some strong competitive baseball over the next seven days,” Hornets Head Coach Andrew Fielden said.
“This group of players is eager and willing to learn. We want the players to have the chance to experience baseball at a national level and make some new friends."
Check out the official Barclay Cup Facebook page for the full schedule and stay tuned for streaming via streamer.com.au.
Scroll down for team previews!
Vic Dingoes
Players
#12 Paige Anders: the pitcher and shortstop plays with Porepunkah Panthers and looks up to her dad as they share a love of baseball. Her favourite baseball moment was pitching her first win of the season, and she's excited to play her first Barclay Cup game, with her sights set on enjoying the experience and further growing her baseball skills. Off the field, Paige loves to ski in her spare time.
#18 Lillie Brockwell: another player from Victoria's North East, Lillie proudly plays for Wangaratta Rangers alongside her brother and friends. She plays pitcher, third base, second base, and outfield, and her favourite memory is playing with her brother and his friend in the same team for the first time. Lillie is excited to go away and play for the Dingoes, and she aims to improve her baseball skills and meet new people. When she's not playing ball, she enjoys spending time with her "three crazy dogs" (German Shorthaired Pointers).
#25 Sarah Fielden: Sarah, also known by the nickname "Sizzle", plays for Moorabbin Panthers and is a pitcher and infielder. Her baseball role models are Ruby Dale & Lili Cavanagh, and her favourite baseball memories come from playing at Little League Nationals. Now, she's hoping to get a few hits and hang out with her Barclay Cup teammates. As for her fun fact? "I’m better at baseball than my dad!"
#8 Alyssa Jamieson: Alyssa, or "Lyss", is a pitcher with Port Melbourne Mariners, and she represented Victoria at the Australian Youth Women's Championship earlier this year. She looks up to her dad in baseball and is excited to play with her friends while learning and growing at the Barclay Cup. Her fun fact is she can sleep for 15 hours.
#77 Guilia Kopievsky: Guilia's first year of baseball has brought plenty of fun, both with Melbourne Baseball Club (including a three-RBI single in her first game) and now the Barclay Cup! Guilia plays right field and second base.
#10 Ruby Llewellyn: Ruby continues to shine on the field after participating in the All-Girls Winter Invitational earlier this year alongside sister Mia. She wrapped up a great season with Greensborough Baseball Club and is ready to represent at the Barclay Cup and play infield.
#11 Ayla McCallum: Ayla hails from Porepunkah Panthers Baseball Club and plays catcher, shortstop, and second base. She's excited for Barclay Cup and the opportunity to improve her baseball skills and meet new people while striving to be the best team player. Ayla is Canadian and has a twin sister Sam. Her favourite baseball memories are shared with family: "Throughout my time playing baseball, I’ve played many games but the one thing I always loved and remember was having a throw in the paddock with my dad, practicing grips and having fun, even just for 20 minutes."
#70 Zali Packer: Z is a utility player who enjoys year-round baseball with Werribee Giants and Newport Rams. She looks up to Paul Rutgers on the field and loved being part of the inaugural Barclay Cup in 2022. She wants to win and is excited to represent Victoria and maintain the memory of Jacinta Barclay. Outside of baseball, she made the varsity ice fishing team in Wisconsin.
#82 Kendra Rutgers: this marks Kendra's third Barclay Cup. At the inaugural event, she was nominated for the Barky’s “LIONHEARTED” Award for the most ferocious competitor who also demonstrated courage and leadership, both on and off the field. Kendra pitches and plays first base, and won VSBL Women's Batter of the Week last season following a 5-for-6 performance. She also represented at the 2024 Australian Youth Women's Championship.
#37 Lily Strachan: nicknamed "Lilza", this dedicated catcher plays with Springvale Lions and Frankston Tomatoes. While she's only played two winter seasons and a summer season, she is at home on the field and looks forward to having fun and making new friends at Barclay Cup. This will be her first out-of-state baseball tournament, and she is inspired by role models Simone Wearne, Mandy Advent, Cassandra Shelverton, and Bronwyn Gell. Her favourite memory? "In my first season, winter semi-finals were a washout so my team decided to have some fun sliding around in the mud."
#80 Olivia Walker: Olivia plays first base and shortstop. She represented Victoria at the Australian Youth Women's Championship earlier this year and picked up a double for her first tournament hit at the 2023 Barclay Cup in Perth. Outside of baseball, Olivia plays bass guitar.
Coaches
Daniel Bebbere: "Bebbs" is excited to be the Dingoes head coach, having been involved in baseball for 20 years. He plays Summer League with Fitzroy Lions and MWBL with Latrobe Uni. He even got married on a baseball field and has a baseball stitching pattern in his wedding ring. His proudest baseball moment was being able to coach his now-wife and little brother in the same team. He looks forward to seeing the athletes put their practice into action and wants the team to have a bunch of fun and make friends with each other and other interstate athletes. His key advice for players? "You have more than one chance in baseball, don’t let one minor thing ruin your day."
Matthew Atkinson: the assistant coach comes from Sandringham Baseball Club, with 30+ years in the sport including incredible moments like watching and coaching his daughter pitch an 11-strikeout grand final. He advises players to "be an aggressive and smart baseballer" and hopes to see growth in all the girls as they achieve their goals and strive to bring home Barclay Cup glory.
Jasmine Bentley: the Victorian Women's representative brings 10 years of experience to her role as pitching coach. Jasmine, nicknamed DJ on the field, plays with Doncaster Dragons in the summer and Watsonia Saints in the winter. Her proudest baseball moment is getting the opportunity to coach overseas in the USA and being the only female coach in that tournament. Jasmine tells players not to take any moment for granted - compete and smile. She is excited to help develop everyone's pitching abilities and watch their progression, while also seeing them build baseball friendships that will last lifetimes. Her fun fact? "I still actively carry my year 4 pen licence as a form of valid identification."
Nicole Llewellyn: Nicole is a dedicated baseball mum, childcare industry professional, and the Dingoes EO, ensuring the team is set up for success and the girls are supported every step of the way.
Vic Hornets
Players
#14 Lila Atkinson: Lila is back for another Barclay Cup! She pitches and plays second base and has even picked up a save in winter semi-finals. She also won MVP honours at the 2023 State Winter Championships. One of Lila's favourite players to watch is Shohei Ohtani.
#58 Amelia Bergman: Amelia, who goes by the nicknames Noodles and Milly, catches and plays outfield with Newport Rams. She looks up to Aaron Whitefield and is excited to follow in her sister Ellisha's footsteps. She also looks forward to making more tournament memories after playing with the 2023 Belles Little League team in Sydney. Her Barclay Cup goals? "To try my best and hopefully get to catch a game or two."
#21 Alexia Hunkin: Alexia plays first base and utility with local clubs Waverley and Heathmont. She is excited to return to the Barclay Cup for the second year in a row and continue improving her skills after playing on the 2024 Victorian Youth Women's State Team.
#26 Charlotte Jansen: Another returning infielder, Charlotte has been involved in all three Barclay Cups and played for Victoria at the AYWC this year, where she went 2-for-2 with three RBI in a comeback win. She enjoys meeting new friends and making memories at baseball tournaments.
#8 Stephanie Keely: Steph enjoys grassroots baseball at Essendon and Research, playing both second base and pitching. She looks up to Jasmine Bentley and has many fond baseball memories, such as finishing her first season with a walk-off. Steph has lived in Canberra, Queensland and the Northern Territory, but she's excited to represent Victoria while developing as a player, meeting new people, making new friends, and having fun with the team!
#76 Molly Lewis: Molly plays for South East Warriors and looks up to Abby McLellan, with great memories of playing in her first women's game. She plays catcher, third base, and second base and is excited to have fun, make friends, and learn something new at this year's Barclay Cup. She also looks forward to seeing friends from other states.
#59 Hayley Mather: Hayls pitches and plays first base with Upwey Ferntree Gully Tigers and Knox Falcons. Gen Beacom is her role model, and she's feeling inspired to play her part in the 1/9th and do it as best she can. She is excited to play with people from all over Austalia and bring home awesome memories. As for fun facts, she was part of a triple play 6-4-3-2, and she was born on the 13th in room 13, bed 13, and lives at 13.
#4 Tabitha Pitt: Tabitha from Sandringham Baseball Club plays third base and centre field. She's had a busy year of baseball, representing at the AYWC as well as last year's Barclay Cup. She's had some great baseball moments so far, from epic backhand catches with the Mariners at nationals to throwing a six-pitch inning.
#2 Audrey Trubiano: Audie is a catcher and first base player from Research Lower Plenty Baseball Club. She looks up to her team and has amazing memories from winning a winter grand final. She looks forward to playing with the Hornets and hopes to hit well. Outside of baseball, she knows a lot about reptiles.
#54 Amelia Wright: it's been a busy few years for Amelia, nicknamed "Milsy", with the first two Barclay Cups under her belt plus two AYWC tournaments. The utility player from Newport Rams has fond memories of making her first rep team and continues to be inspired by Gen Beacom and other women's baseball trailblazers. She always wears a ribbon when she plays and will continue her tradition at the 2024 Barclay Cup, where she's excited to play her best tournament baseball for the team and mentor younger players.
#19 Isy Zurawel: Isy is a Newport Ram who pitches and plays infield. In her third year of baseball, she was named to the Victorian Youth Women's State Team. This will be her second Barclay Cup!
Coaches
Andrew Fielden: the head coach has been involved in baseball for 40 years and is a proud member of Geelong Baycats and Ballarat Royals. Playing in a winning grand final with his son is his proudest moment, and he could put a family team on the park including an umpire and scorer. Heading into the 2024 Barclay Cup, he reminds the Hornets to play in the spirit of the game. He is eager to help players have an enjoyable and positive tournament, and he's most excited to see how they take their improvements over 10 weeks of tryouts and training into the tournament.
Jamie Bastian: a beloved Victorian Women's rep, JB plays for Doncaster and offers sound advice to stop thinking and swing hard. She is excited to be part of an awesome coaching staff and hopes the girls take home good skills, life lessons, and great memories. Her own favourite memory? "Coaching my sister in rookie ball and her having a better arm than me."
Jess Johnson: also known by the nickname "JJ", Jess has been involved in baseball for about 28 years, with plenty of great memories at local clubs Doncaster and Watsonia. Jess was part of the Victorian Women's State Team that took out the 2024 national title, as well as the Women's American Football World Cup in 2017 for the first-ever Australian women's team. With experience on the Emeralds squad, Jess is excited to see the future of Australian women's baseball while promoting a fun, positive and competitive baseball environment. As for advice, Jess says baseball is a game of failures and failure is a success so long as you learn from it. And proudest baseball moments? "Winning this year's nationals and watching my husband win an ABL championship."
The 2024 BV Umpire Seminar took place at Knox Baseball Club on 21-22 September, with over 60 umpires turning out for the first day of Community, Association, and State Umpiring courses.
40 umpires continued on day two for additional plate and on-field situational plays. The second-annual seminar aimed to promote baseball umpiring to new and returning officials, while creating consistency with formal training, assessments and accreditations aligned with the National Umpiring Accreditation Scheme.
We had student attendees from all over the state, some joining us from Albury-Wodonga, Latrobe Valley, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, and Mornington Peninsula, as well as locals from the Melbourne metropolitan area and surrounds.
Brett Robson (WA), Paul Latta (NSW), and Tom West (QLD) were on hand to support training and assessments.
It was great to have their vast knowledge and experience adding to that of our local instructors David Welsh, Geoff Dunn, Denis Dalzotto, Peter Clapp, Randall Vavra, John Schroders, Neil Medlin and Casey Cooke.
We started with the theory portion of our Behind the Mask Community Umpire Program, which was attended by both new umpires and Association Level Umpires who had not done so previously.
We are working toward having many of our Association and State Level Umpires ready to deliver the Behind the Mask Community program at their local clubs, VSBL Hubs and regional associations.
While the Community Theory was being delivered, some Association and State Level Umpires who had previously completed the program had a cage session with Tom, Paul, Neil and Casey. These cage sessions teach plate stance, head height, proper use of eyes and the correct play, time, strike and ball mechanics.
From there, we broke into smaller groups, with some officiating live games using a 3-umpire system, some learning the 2-umpire system with simulated plays, and the newest Community Umpires learning safe calls, outs, strikes, and balls.
Sunday saw a mix of new Community Umpires return for further on-field instruction alongside our more developed umpires. Three rotating field stations and cage work offered great learning opportunities for all.
The weekend wrapped up with a BBQ provided by Knox Baseball Club where there was lots of socialising, networking, and sharing memorable umpiring stories.
"We received very positive feedback, opening up conversations about umpiring and all the opportunities it can bring to individuals and the greater baseball community," said Alan Sutherland of the BV Umpiring Working Group. "It was great to see so many smiling faces while discussing all things umpiring, and many people said they learned a lot about our beloved sport. We are excited to see everyone on the field and continuing to improve with each game."
A special thanks to:
- Knox Falcons Baseball Club for hosting and putting on the BBQ.
- Upwey Ferntree Gully Baseball Club for moving practice matches to Knox to support our teaching and learning.
- Brett Robson, Paul Latta and Tom West for coming from interstate and sharing your love of baseball umpiring with us all. Your help in delivering this program is greatly appreciated.
- Neil Medlin for giving up your weekend and travelling from Albury to support our instruction and course delivery.
- Our local instructors, Peter Clapp, John Schroders, Denis Dalzotto, Randall Vavra, Casey Cooke, Geoff Dunn and David Welsh.
- Brooke Penfold and Michelle Coote for all the behind-the-scenes work organising everything from invites to accommodation to uniform sales and much more.
Most of all, thank you to everyone who attended to start or further develop your umpiring. We look forward to a bright future together!
Baseball Victoria is saddened to hear of the passing of Life Member Ian Bishop, a beloved figure who dedicated over 50 years to Sunraysia Baseball League (SBL).
Ian’s baseball career spanned decades of playing, coaching, umpiring and committee work. He first joined the sport as an athlete in the 1950s, and quickly took up coaching in addition to playing on representative sides. He served as SBL’s Secretary/Treasurer and played a crucial role in reforming the league in 1979. He was a founding member of Eagles Baseball Club and was part of the original nine taking the field in the club's inaugural game.
Although Ian retired from playing in 1984, his contributions to the sport were far from over, soon beginning 40 years of umpiring. He was a proud advocate and promoter of the sport, serving as media liaison for several years as well as sharing baseball radio reports on Sunday mornings from 1982-2005. He was the SBL Committee Level Umpire Coordinator from 1990-2004 and returned to his beloved role as Secretary/Treasurer from 2007-2017.
Ian was granted life membership to SBL in 1993 for his commitment and support of the sport and its growth in Sunraysia. He was recognised with Baseball Victoria Life Membership in 2019.
Ian will always be remembered for his love of the game and his proud involvement in the local baseball community. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him and we send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.
Nominations are now open for the Baseball Victoria Winter Committee (BVWC), a sub-committee of BV reporting to the CEO through the Tournament Officer.
The BV Winter Committee will provide feedback and recommendations on updated formats, playing conditions and structures of the Victorian State Winter Championships, including
- Junior Winter Championships
- Senior and Women’s Winter Championships
- Girls Invitational Tournament
Please view the BV Winter Committee Terms of Reference for more details on the responsibilities and expectations.
If you have a baseball club/leadership background and are interested in serving on the committee, please click HERE to submit your interest.
Nominations close Wednesday 25 September 2024.
Baseball Victoria is pleased to confirm coaching and EO appointments for the Under 16 and Under 18 Victorian State Teams attending the 2025 Australian Youth Championships in January.
Under 16 Team Officials:
- Head Coach - Ben Laux
- Assistant Coach - Ethan Epifanio
- Pitching Coach - Dan Chircop
- Executive Officer (EO) - Val Langworthy
Under 18 Team Officials:
- Head Coach - Marshall Skinner
- Assistant Coach - Lachie Condie
- Pitching Coach - Mark Richards
- Executive Officer (EO) - Taryn Richardson
“Thank you and congratulations to these dedicated coaches who have stepped up to the plate and will help guide our state teams to success on the national stage,” BV CEO Chet Gray said. “We are excited for another awesome year of AYC action and we appreciate the contributions of our team officials who ensure a positive and engaging experience for all players.”
Read the latest tournament update on dates and format changes via baseball.com.au.
The BV Pipeline includes programs for players of all levels to foster fun, development and performance. 2Ball, School Holiday Camps, and Performance Pathway programs are all part of the BV Pipeline.
Here are the goals of BV Pipeline programs:
- Ignite passion and love of baseball
- Develop skills that scale
- Prepare players to perform in competition
- Share knowledge and support the Victorian coaching community
Check out what they've been up to HERE and view information and bookings for Pipeline September School Holiday Events to secure your spot in 2Ball & Spring Training Camps.
The Melbourne Winter Baseball League A Grade Grand Final will be played between Watsonia and North Balwyn at 1:30pm on Saturday 7 September at Surrey Park in Box Hill. Finishing top two in the regular season, this promises to be a fantastic game of high-level baseball.
“As a coach, I couldn’t be prouder of the season that our A Grade team has put together, earning the chance to win our club’s first A Grade premiership in over 20 years. The lead-up to this game has been intense and exciting, with the top four teams proving to be evenly matched during the regular season and finals,” Watsonia Coach Jarryd Rogers said.
“With one win each head-to-head, it’s fitting that the season is coming down to us and North Balwyn. Our players are looking forward to a highly competitive game between two teams boasting strong line-ups.”
North Balwyn shares the excitement.
“Both clubs have had fantastic seasons, and if the semi-final was anything to go by, the grand final should be a great game. I am incredibly proud of the team, and the work of our coaches Neil, Gavin and Jeremy throughout the year; as well as the ongoing and continual support of the club and committee,” Club President Mitch Kennedy said.
“The club is extremely proud of the way the guys have played this year with how they conducted themselves each week throughout the year, earning North Balwyn the title of A1 Minor Premiers. We felt that this year the team was really able to put together a strong season exemplified by great offence and pitching.”
Melbourne Baseball Club has the ground looking fantastic for the battle and there will be a canteen operating, plus a GameChanger livestream.
Footscray Baseball Club is rapidly approaching its 100th anniversary and looks to reconnect with past players, supporters, and members in preparation for next year's celebrations.
Founded on March 18, 1925, following a motion passed by the Victorian Baseball Association, Footscray Baseball Club has a long and storied history in the area. The club has played at various parks and gardens within Footscray and Yarraville, even serving as curtain raisers for Footscray Football Club VFL games.
For decades, the club has been based at McIvor Reserve’s Hanks Baseball Park in Yarraville, where it has enjoyed success in men’s, women’s, and junior competitions, including numerous premierships in summer and winter leagues. Several players have also been selected as state and national representatives.
To mark this significant milestone, the club is planning a series of events throughout 2025 and is reaching out to past players, supporters, members, and their descendants to join in the celebrations.
Additionally, Footscray Baseball Club is seeking the support of local businesses to sponsor the anniversary events, providing an excellent opportunity for community engagement and visibility.
“The club has been a key part of the local community in Melbourne’s Inner West, and we are looking forward to bringing everyone together to share stories and celebrate,” said Club President Shane Cole-Hayhow.
For more information about Footscray Baseball Club's 100th anniversary celebration, including sponsorship opportunities and event updates, please visit footscraybulldogs.com.au or contact Lee Cole-Hayhow using the details below.
About Footscray Baseball Club:
Footscray Baseball Club currently participates in the Melbourne Winter Baseball League’s senior and junior competitions, the Victoria Summer Baseball League in the Women’s Premier League, Junior Little League, and is the current premier of the Men’s Metro Major competition. The club's home base is Hanks Baseball Park, part of Maribyrnong’s McIvor Reserve Sporting Precinct.
Contact:
Lee Cole-Hayhow
Footscray Baseball Club
Benbow St, Yarraville, VIC, 3011
0402 529 735
info@footscraybulldogs.com.au
http://footscraybulldogs.com.au